Be boldly and unashamedly proud of yourself. I am.
There is a past self from my twenties who was bereft, utterly lost, and couldn’t settle, who is now so proud of the strength, tenacity, willpower, and courage I managed to yank out of the void as I entered my thirties. I used these qualities to completely turn my life around, in the form of two degrees, a career I loved, and keeping my body and mind fit and healthy.
And now there’s a past self from my thirties who is so proud of how I’ve further used those qualities to breed resilience, understanding, empathy, compassion, self-care – and a shitload of love in my forties, as I deal with the loss of my career and previously healthy self, whilst navigating family life with a crippling chronic illness.
My life has never turned out the way I expected, from one decade to the next. There’s been highs and lows, successes and failures – and a truck-load of joy and sadness in between. And although I have learned a lot along the way, the main thing I’ve learned is – I still have a lot to learn.
I’m only 43 (clearly a spring chicken!), and I feel certain there will be continued major changes on the horizon for my future self.
… I just don’t know what they are yet.
But whether or not I like those changes – it’ll be okay. Because no matter what happens, I know I will always try my best and have my back. That regardless of whether I wildly succeed in life, or fall face-first into a steaming pile of dog turd as I trip over my shoe laces for the third time that day – when my future self looks back at me now … she’ll see I’m still so very proud of her. And I always will be.
Over to you lovely peeps. Is your past self proud of you? How about your future self – do they get a high-five?
