What I Would Say To My Younger Self

At book club the other week, yes book club and no it wasn’t just a cover for wine club or an excuse to gossip!  Believe or believe it not, we read books and at some stage during the evening we do actually talk about the book! ?

Now, at “Book Club”, we were talking about how fast time is going and how we’re becoming more content with who we are and less concerned about what people think about us.  How we are less inclined to put up with and be tolerant of ‘idiots’.  Well, there’s no point beating around the bush as they say!

As you get older, and I’m not talking old now, you begin to realise how precious time is and that it’s not to be wasted on those who are not deserving.

When you are in your teens and twenties, you’re finding your feet, working out who you are and what you want to be, so this made me ask the question, “What would you say to your younger self?”.  If you could go back and have a word with your younger self, what would you tell yourself?

Here’s the advice my book club ladies came back with.

“Do what you like rather than what’s expected of you.  Take your time to find what it is that you like” – Allison Forbes

“Take a bit longer before you specialise.  Don’t fit into a box, do what you enjoy” – Dympna Kelly

“Travel the world and stay in hostels.  You meet so many people from different parts of the world and learn something new everyday” – Wendy Maxwell

“Be confident in yourself.  Knowing yourself and having faith in yourself and not being swayed by peer pressure.” – Becky Sterritt

I’ve no regrets, after all everything I did when I was younger, made me who I am today.  However, in saying that I’d tell myself not to be so hard on myself.  Nobody is harder on me than me, so I’d tell myself to ease up and give myself a break!  There are people you will meet in life, maybe you’ve already met them, that take pleasure in knocking you down, so you don’t need to be one of them.

I recently came across this on Facebook (where else!) and it struck a chord with me.

“When a toxic person can no longer control you, they will try to control how others see you.  The misinformation will feel unfair, but stay above it, trusting that other people will eventually see the truth, just like you did.” – Jacqueline Laurita

Whatever you do in life, stay true to who you are.  Our work environment and our colleagues can have an impact on how we behave, they have the potential to bring out the best in us but also the worst.

Try to rise above it, don’t let them turn you into something you are not.  If it doesn’t feel right in your gut, it most likely isn’t.  Never respond immediately and certainly not in anger, take a deep breath and walk away if needs be.  Leave the email that got your blood boiling until tomorrow or the next day.
In the words of Ben Howard, “Keep Your Head Up And Your Heart Strong”.