Most people’s goal is to live a long healthy life. We always wish we knew the stuff that we know now when we were younger. The knowledge that we have could have taken is so much farther if we knew some of it sooner or when we were younger. We never think about what our younger self would be saying to us if they were looking at us and what we have become or accomplished. Imagine your younger self (maybe 20’s or younger) looking at everything you have done and accomplished (now that you are 80’s or older). Do you think your younger self would be proud of the person you have become and all the things you have done?
Looking back on our younger self.
When we were in elementary school teachers would ask us what we wanted to be when we grow up. Everyone was so excited to state when they grow up, they will be a lawyer, construction worker, police officer, actor, etc. The list went on and on as the children in the class would state one by one what they wanted to be. There would be times when the teacher asked the class why they picked what they picked when they grow up. Many of the children had excellent reasoning of why they picked what they picked. Is your current career the same one you thought you would be when you were in elementary school?
Working hard to become who we are.
Ever since we were young everyone (parents, grandparents, teachers, etc.) has always told us to work hard and we can be anything we want to be. Sometimes for Halloween we would dress up as the career person we want to be. We would always pretend to be grown up with a dream career and playing out (pretending) our career in the real world. All through elementary, middle and most of high school we would work hard to become our childhood dream. Once we hit high school and into college things change and we change. What we want in life changes and sometimes our peers push us into another direction. Did you work somewhere or change your career because of your peers?
Forgetting our childhood dreams.
We often change so much as we grow older. We try and learn new things, often forgetting our foundation or what made us head in the direction we did. We forget our childhood dreams or person our younger self dreamed we would be. We often look for advice from our elders but sometimes we need it from the young children to remind us of our younger self’s dreams. Do you ever reflect on what your childhood dreams were to where you are now?
The things our younger self would say to us now.
If our younger self could see what we have accomplished and the choices, we have made throughout life they would defiantly be surprised. Some things they would surely yell at us and try to set us straight. If we took the time and really listened to our younger self, we could remember and learn why we dreamt of becoming something else. Reflecting on yourself, do you think your younger self would be proud of who you are today?
What my younger self would say.
I think overall my younger self would be proud of myself. I think they might be disappointed I didn’t spend all the lost time with my family. I know they would be really upset how my siblings grew apart and not as close as we used to. As much as I want to say I have lived up to my younger expectations, parts of me think I might not have. Things changed and life got busy. I was always adamant about having time for family and being readily available for them whenever they needed me. I was an early riser in the morning to get the day started and helping everyone out including neighbors and people I didn’t know. If someone was doing something (especially cleaning or yard work) I was right, there helping them. When I was really young, I wanted to be a garbageman. I would follow and watch the garbagemen throw garbage in the back of their truck. I was so fascinated with the way it would crush and clear the garbage so the men could throw more in the back.
What would your younger self say about the life you lived so far and who you became?
For questions or comments post below.
Leave a Reply