11-something Things I Would Tell My Younger Self

Not because I’m THAT old, but to be honest…turning 28 a couple of weeks ago did have me thinking. And I might not be blogging about fashion anymore, but I promised you to write about things that matter. With life being as crazy, beautiful, complex as it is, we can all use a little bit of a guide right? I think possessing the wisdom below when I was younger would have saved me so much confusion, many disappointments and heart aches. And while I still don’t have life figured out, I at least know this:

You don’t have to figure out your entire life right now. In life you go through different phases anyway. Whatever is so important to you now, might not be the same in 5 years. Try to find your way by allowing yourself the time to experience different things. Enjoy the little things because one day you’ll look back and realise they were the big things. Live in the moment, otherwise life passes you by. Life is way to short, who says you’ll be here in 2 years, so why worry too much about that? Do anything and everything that makes your soul happy, because whatever makes your soul happy makes you glow from the inside out. Eventually all the dots will connect…so relax ;-)! 

At the end of the day, everything is temporary. This includes all your problems and sorrows. Time heals and life goes on. You fall, you rise, you make mistakes, you live, you learn. You’re human, not perfect. Never a failure, always a lesson. Oh and in case you didn’t know…you are stronger than you think!! Many times I’ve been in situations that I never thought I would be able to handle, and guess what…I managed to get through, sometimes with scars, but what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. 

All limitations are self-imposed. You can do/be anything you want, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! It might mean you will have to work 10x harder than others, but nothing is impossible. Never give up on your dreams. People laughed at Walt Disney, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs etc. But their story is history :-). 

Stop trying to please others. You eventually end up hurting yourself and driving yourself crazy trying to keep up a charade. Lose the fear of having to please others into their perception of you. Choosing your own happiness isn’t selfish, it’s an obligation to yourself. Never change so people will like you. Don’t go chasing people, because they will never appreciate you for who you are and never value you as much as you deserve. Stop doing things because everyone else around you is doing it. Don’t let the world try to tame you like the rest of society. Always do your own thing, whatever feels right to you. Be yourself, embrace your uniqueness, you are perfect as you are. Perfectly Imperfect ;-). 

You are amazing!! Own it, flaunt it! and please don’t let those Instagram models bring your down! Know your worth. Stay humble, but know your value. You don’t find your worth in a man, but within yourself. You are more than enough and have so much to offer. Your value doesn’t decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth and it most definitely is not measured by the amount of likes on your pictures. Never compare yourself to others. The grass is always greener on the other side, everyone has their issues (believe me!). Love yourself, and everything else falls into place. 

Know your powers. The power of you words, your silence, your mind, your actions, your thoughts, your body language and your body itself. While this takes some life experience and self-knowledge, I honestly wished I knew how powerful my impact could be, because I wouldn’t have doubted myself and my abilities so much. Your mind is a powerful weapon. What you think long enough becomes a reality. Think positive thoughts, your life will be full of positivity. Same goes for the other way around. What you give power to, has power over you, if you allow it. Beauty is entertaining, depth is impressive. Beauty without depth, ambition and intelligence is like a masterpiece painted on a napkin. Be more than that. Grow your mind. Invest in yourself, you are your biggest asset. (and no, when I say invest, I don’t mean buy that dress, but rather go travel or enroll yourself in a course).

No expectations, no disappointments. I try to approach life and situations with as less expectations as possible. That way you can’t get disappointed easily and you get pleasantly surprised a lot!! Same goes for relationships. Nobody owes you anything. If you go from that assumption, you can never be upset for not getting anything from someone else. Don’t take anything personally. Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.  

Sometimes walking away shows us everything we know. We tend to get caught up into wanting some things so badly, we only focus on the closed doors, and miss the better ones opening up. There is a certain amount of clarity and peace that comes from taking a step back and re-evaluating. 

Trust your gut. Every.single.time.I swear! When I chose not to listen to my intuition, I fell…HARD! and when I did listen, I turned out to be right. It is something that develops with time and life-experience, but if you listen closely, you know. 

It is what it is. It is what it was. It will be what it will be…..and it’s all great. Happiness is letting go of what you think your life is supposed to look like & celebrating it for everything it is! Even at your worst, possible, lowest moment, with everything going wrong and being messed up…there is still something to be thankful for. Count your blessings everyday. Acknowledge them, and watch them multiply. Blessings upon blessings is the saying right?

Bless others. Speaking of blessings: Be a positive influence in any way you can. We all want the same thing in life: To be loved and acknowledged for who we are. Spread that love, give people recognition and credit where it’s due. Even simple little helpful acts (like a compliment) can make others – and you- much happier. It doesn’t cost you anything, but you get so much in return. 

What would you tell your younger self??

The beauty of life is that we learn as we go, so I’m excited to add much more to the list as I grow ol..ahum…I mean wiser ;-). 

Love, 

Nadira

 

 

4 Comments
  • Ranny de Vries
    Posted at 15:31h, 23 June Reply

    Leuke blog. Goed om dit vast te leggen.
    Lees het over 10 jaar weer even na. Je gaat lachen om hoe vaak je al deze zaken zelf niet in acht neemt. 😉
    Believe me, ik ben ervaringsdeskundige.
    Ik moest vaak glimlachen terwijl ik het las.

    • beheerder
      Posted at 16:26h, 23 June Reply

      Hey Ranny! Thanks haha!
      Ik denk dat je dit elk jaar opnieuw zou moeten lezen en dat er elk jaar weer het een en ander aan te vullen is. Het is zeker zo dat we in ons dagelijkse doen en laten dit soort dingen vaak vergeten. Hangt ervanaf hoe bewust je ermee bezig bent :-). Lief dat je gereageerd hebt!

  • Rayenne
    Posted at 02:54h, 04 July Reply

    Love it!

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