We often look back and wish we had known then what we know now. And if we could, we would go back and give advice to our younger self to help us better navigate the coming seasons. But while we can’t go back, it’s still good to reflect on our lessons learned, and perhaps to share them with others as well.
For instance, we might look back and wish we had worked harder in those areas that mattered the most.
We might have spent a lot of energy fulfilling the expectations of others and running the rat race with everyone else. But now we’ve learned the value of investing in our excellence and becoming all God has created us to be. No longer are we wasting our strength on meaningless pursuits. And we’re now intentionally working to bring more life and goodness into the world.
We might also tell ourselves not to take ourselves so seriously.
While there is much work to be done, there’s still more to life than simply grinding it out and trying to make it. We need regular times of play and exploring new things, laughing with friends over coffee and just watching the stars come out at night. As we get older, we realize more and more how much is outside of our control. And so we don’t have to take ourselves as seriously as if life was completely dependent on us.
Likewise, we might look back and wish we had been more intentional in building our village.
It’s easy to take our friends for granted growing up. We assume they will always be there. But as the seasons of life change we start to realize how many of our friendships were seasonal at best. And when we’re not careful we can easily find ourselves in a season without the support we need around us. Now being intentional allows us to invest in those lifetime relationships that provide meaning and connection throughout every season.
Whatever it looks like, reflecting on the advice we would give to our younger self helps us to remember and live in these truths today. And it might help others along the way as well.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
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