What would you do if you could meet your 20-year-old self?
I’m sure a whirlwind of thoughts just rushed through your mind, just as they did through mine. I bet you felt a pang in your chest, as if you wanted to turn back time just to embrace your 20-year-old self. A million things could have been different, or maybe wouldn’t have happened at all, or perhaps they would have, but with more passion, less fear, and fewer uncertainties. One thing is certain: my current self would love to have the youth of my 20-year-old self combined with the mindset I have today! I think 99% of people feel this way! We’ve experienced so much, with countless stories and dreams left behind.
The dream of pursuing that course that had to wait because kids came along, or because there wasn’t enough money, or because you had to start working earlier and couldn’t balance it due to the long commute; or because you got married young and the married life brought unexpected changes and extra bills! There are many factors, but one thing is clear: all those experiences, no matter how joyful or painful, have brought me to where I am today, and I wouldn’t trade my current self for my 20-year-old self. Every part of my body that’s aging tells a story, every wrinkle, every gray hair narrates my life story, and most importantly: I’m here to share my dreams and life story with you. I can’t forget that it was all these lived experiences, the mistakes and successes, that made me who I am today and brought me to where I am now. Those successes and failures have made me stronger today; they gave me the ability to grow through my choices, whether good or bad, and helped me see how much life is worth living.
Here’s what I would do if I could meet my 20-year-old self:
I would say: always take care of your health, prioritize it above everything else. Take care of it as if it were a newborn baby you want to protect from the world and everyone in it. No matter what you do, or where you go, take care of your health. Eat well, respect your body’s schedule, get enough sleep, and drink plenty of water! Your health is, and always will be, your most precious asset.
I would say: always exercise! Even if it’s just a 30-minute walk, do it! Your body is a machine that needs movement, and the right movements will be the fuel that helps it carry you further. This body is your temple, and only you can take care of it. It’s your permanent residence, so it needs to be well cared for to give you the return you need, like at least being able to get up from the toilet in old age. Would you like that?
I would say: spend more time with your mother, especially if I knew she would be taken from me so soon… Life happens, and we can’t control it; we can only seize the moment. Emotions are something we have to deal with, especially when they manifest in our bodies as unexplained pain. These pains have an answer, and yes, they can be linked to our stored emotions.
I would say: cherish more time with your father, talk to him more, bring him closer to the family, don’t let him succumb to alcohol… I would have listened to him more and shared more of his presence. Maybe he wouldn’t have left so soon, lost to alcohol and depression.
I would say: spend more time with your niece! A beautiful baby who grew up so fast, and I couldn’t even keep up with her because of the life choices I made. Today, she has become a beautiful woman, following life’s cycle. The memories are marked with a comma, but the new starting point won’t be the childhood I missed; it will be the adult moments of life that simply didn’t wait for me.
I would say to my siblings: hey, I’m here whenever you need me! Don’t hesitate to talk about what’s troubling you because I need to talk to you too. Let’s get together more often, let’s celebrate life and the happiness of being a family!
I would tell that young woman in the prime of her youth: be more spontaneous! Don’t be afraid to express your desires, don’t be afraid to share your ideas! They are yours and yours alone, and surely, they have something good to contribute to those around you. Everyone is unique, special, and always has something good to share and add to someone else’s life. Believe it!
I would say: don’t be swayed by the dreams and desires of others! You have your own to live for. It’s your life at stake. Do what you want to do! Life is short. The opportunity to live it is unique, and it goes by quickly. All that will remain are the memories and the ‘what ifs’—’what if I had done this,’ ‘what if I had gone,’ ‘what if I had…’
The truth is that life isn’t a recipe. It doesn’t come pre-made. We discover and reinvent ourselves every second, making mistakes and correcting them, always believing that what happened was meant to be.
I believe we are all born with our destiny written. All the uncertainties we’ve lived through have turned us into adults capable of teaching something valuable to those around us. The fact is that even if I could go back and speak to that young girl full of dreams and life, she wouldn’t listen to me. Because she lived what was meant for her to live, just as we are doing now. We still have uncertainties, but we feel more capable of facing them with the wisdom that maturity has brought us. We can still make mistakes because, after all, every day is a new chance, and every day we are learning and teaching something new to someone.
The truth is, I wouldn’t do anything differently if I could meet that 20-year-old girl because she has her own story, and those are things she will have to live through to understand the meaning of life.
The truth is that despite everything, I’m alive. And every day the Creator grants me another sunrise, I give thanks and embrace the chance to do better. I know I can be better than I was yesterday. Better for myself and worthy of deserving this new day. So believe me: everything has a purpose. Do better today, now. Just do it. I’ll leave you with a question: Every day, we’re given 24 hours. What are you doing with your time, with your hours?