If you could go back in time, say 10, 20, or 30 years, what would you say to yourself? You’ve lived through some rough stuff since then. No doubt, you’ve gained wisdom from life experience that cannot be learned any better way than through living it. There are things you know now that you couldn’t have known back then. Given all of that, what would you say to that ‘younger’ self?
What Would You Say?
If I could sit my 20 year old self down – Wow, I would have a LOT to say! “Trust your gut,” is the first thing I would say. Turn the volume DOWN on the negatives that people freely impart upon me and turn UP the volume on the praise. I would tell myself that I am worth FAR more than I think I am and that if I would just trust that myself, I will be okay. That is some powerful stuff, but still I wonder – would I have heard it? Sadly, I kind of doubt it!
An Important Coversation
When I ask my clients this question, they often have a kind of sad, knowing look on their faces. They know, or rather I should say, they knew. At the time, they knew that they were not going in the direction that was best for them. Somehow, however, they were compelled to stay on that path. They also know that they, like me, probably wouldn’t have listened anyway. If you really think about it, however, it’s a good conversation to have with ones’ self. To look back and think, ‘If I had only known then what I know now, what would I have done differently?’ It is an important conversation to have. If we don’t know where we went wrong in our past, how do we keep ourselves from going down that path again?
What About The 10 Year Old?
Now look back a bit further, what would you say to your 10 year old self? The innocent, playful one who looks a little like your son, your daughter, your niece or nephew? We now have a lot more that comes to mind. The words are more powerful now. “You are not stupid.” “Your needs/wants/ideas/opinions are normal.” “You are lovable – just the way you are.” “There is nothing wrong with you.” “It is okay to make mistakes.” “You matter.”
What About Your Future Self?
While I sit here wondering how my life would be different if I could have gotten through to my younger self, I can’t help but look at the real question staring me in the face. . . What would I say to myself 10 years from now? My mistakes in judgment at 20 were somewhat excusable, if not expected. At 30, they were half-way understandable. Now I’m getting to an age where knowingly walking myself into areas that I know will harm me is almost unconscionable. Wow, that’s profound and a little bit scary.
Check Yourself!
Check yourself. What are you doing that you know is not good for you? What paths are you walking down that don’t lead you where you want to go? Are there distractions you are allowing in your life that are holding you back? If you could look back at yourself 10 years from now, what advice would you have for yourself? Look hard. Only you know the answers . . . and only you can follow them!
At Healing Hearts of Indy, we pride ourselves in taking a different approach to counseling. One of our primary jobs is to give feedback to our clients. We listen, of course, but we also provide valuable insight into what we hear from our clients. Reach out to us today. We would love to help you on your journey! Contact us at https://healingheartsofindy.com/contact-us/ or (317) 218-3038.
Click here to read more . . . http://How Old Is Your Inner Child?
Our Blog