Menu
The 10 Lessons I Wish I knew My Younger Self Needed!
–
10 lessons a younger self needs? 10 things we aspire to know? It’s no secret that with age comes so much of wisdom. Sometimes it could even be the wisdom we never thought we needed, until it becomes relevant! Being younger, we are faced with so many challenges and we often wish we handled it differently. Everything happens according to a certain life plan. You may think you needed to know something before actually letting it happen, but knowing and doing are two very separate things!
We all wish we knew certain things when we were teenagers or early 20s that we know now! Well we cannot turn back the clock, but we can surely help others learn from our wisdom. Here are 10 things I wish my younger self knew!
–
–
1. You are More Than Enough!
You are more than enough. Worthy of only the very best! In life, you are going to meet people who might not see your worth and that is okay. It is not your fault. That is their loss. You are not for everyone so don’t beat yourself up about what others say. Do not allow anyone to treat you as less than what you deserve. We are all worthy of amazing things, yet we are not aware of it. It takes a certain amount of love and knowledge to know your worth. Trust me, whoever does not see your worth is not a loss. You are ENOUGH for the right people that enter your life.
–
–
2. Not all Relationships or Friendships are worth keeping
In life you are going to meet so many people. Breaking ties are inevitable. Life changes. People change. Don’t hold onto memories and shared wisdom over years of friendship or relationships. Sometimes breaking away from people is good. We need the break. We need a new sense of environment and human surroundings. Being with the same people that are stagnant in their own life can cause you to be stagnant in your own!
Do not allow others to determine your growth. Do what’s best for your growth. If someone is puling you down, let them go. Trust me, it is the most liberating feeling! Grow on your own!
–
–
3. “It’s okay to not be okay”
There are so many people who hide their fears, feelings and even mental health issues. People fear seeming weird or a “debby downer” by sharing their stories. It is okay to share how you feel. It is okay to not always be okay. You cannot always live happily, life has it’s ups and downs. If you’re not having ups and downs, are you even alive? Those moments make us stronger and being vulnerable is not a weakness. It is a step towards growth and strength.
Do not let anyone tell you that not being okay is a problem and to simply get over it. Trust your instinct. Be who you are even if people hate it. It is part of life and part of learning the bigger lesson. Trust me, your not okay moments, build the best moments!
–
–
4. Nobody else’s opinion matters except your own!
“What will she say?”, “Everyone is going to talk about it”. Sounds familiar right? But who cares??? Will those same people be by your side in 10 years time? Are they worth listening too? What if Oprah believed people who told her she wasn’t good enough for television? Exactly! Opinions mean absolutely nothing, how you respond to them means everything. People will talk about you until the day you die.
If you let that determine the way you are living life, then you are not living to the fullest! Trust me, nobody needs to decide for you. Opinions are hard to avoid but they mean absolutely nothing when you don’t pay attention to them.
–
–
5. Imagination is more important than knowledge
Albert Einstein once said “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.” This came from a man who was known for his intelligence. A man with a world full of knowledge yet he based his life on his passion and imagination. Knowledge is a great concept but how can we ever use it without any imagination?
We are constantly told to stop living in the clouds and come down to earth. We are told that we are silly to believe in certain things when that could actually be our purpose in life! So don;t ever compromise your passion and imagination just because nobody believed in i. Believe in yourself, trust me that is all you ever need!
–
–
6. Do not ever stop dreaming
Dreaming brings about a world of passion and self-interest! Dare to dream? I think so! Dreaming allows you to tap into your creative side. People are often so scared to dream because they are told that they would never reach that goal. Don’t allow that to be you. When we are kids, we dream an entire world of opportunities, but as we get older dreams get shorter and less innovative. Dreams become scenarios and people. Dreams become blank and sometimes there aren’t any at all. Why? Because we tell ourselves that dreams mean nothing when in fact dreams mean everything!
–
–
7. Report Cards / Marks do not determine your worth
We live in a world where you are not able to live a comfortable life without qualifications. A world where having a higher percentage is valued more than having the skill and relentless ambition! People are obsessed with numbers than influence. Impacting is nothing without the statistics behind it. The world works towards numbers. Statistics. Calculations. Your worth is more than a percentage on a test, exam or end of year report. Those who have made the biggest impact in the world, have failed towards the necessary numbers needed in education.
But they are the ones that are worth remembering. We all know their names because they had the ambition and never stopped working towards their goals. They knew what they were capable of without being told. You are capable of so much more than a percentage.
–
–
8. Self-love is the best policy
You are more than a number on a scale. You are more than the food that you eat, clothes that you wear and company that you keep! People become so fixated on numbers, calories, sizes and the outlook of others. People often forget that comparison is the thief of joy! You cannot compare yourself to anyone else and you do not need too. We are all unique and beautiful. Self-love builds the foundation for everything in your life. You will never be ready for any opportunity without knowing yourself well enough to take the bull by the horns. So, you cannot expect others to love you and treat you the way you deserve without knowing what you are worth in the first place. It is easy to be treated in a certain manner, the only issue is not knowing the boundaries because we do not know ourselves.
Self-love allows you to see who you are and find yourself before allowing anyone else to have the ability to break you down! It allows you to stop others from making you feel inferior. Only you can determine how others treat you. You only get what you allow! Working on yourself is the best feeling!
–
–
9. When someone first shows you who they are, believe them
We meet so many people during our lifetime, some good and some bad. There are good and bad intentions behind it. We often try to make excuses for the behaviour of others. You do not have to make an excuse for someone else. Their attitude determines their character, not yours. Stop thinking that everyone has your heart. We are all different. People love introducing you to their “representative” in the first few months. The person they want you to believe they are but once they show their true colours, believe them.
The world is filled with many characters, be careful of who you choose to surround yourself with. You are the company you keep.
–
–
10. There are more to people than just a “pretty face”
You included! You are more than just a physical appearance and so is everyone else. We often create barriers between ourselves and great individuals because they look a certain type of way. People can teach you so many wonderful lessons just by letting them in! We have the assumption that they will be everything we fear or that they aren’t our caliber without even attempting to know them first! Think about all the people you walked away from because of appearance without knowing their story.
Would you want that reciprocated? Treat others the way you’d like to be treated. It’s a mutual effort in relationships, friendship and work. Nobody deserves to be putting in all the work alone.
–
–
Those are the 10 lessons I wish i knew when I was younger. Cannot say I have not heard them before, but surely wish I had put them into perspective! I am sure I would have had a completely different life! I guess life is a continuous lesson, we all just need to learn how to handle certain aspects of it over time! Never settle, never belittle yourself or others and never stop living to the best of your ability!
Be sure to follow me on instagram for more words of inspiration! – @karushapather
