5 Things I Would Tell My Younger Self.

It's been almost 2 weeks since I last wrote a more personal/lifestyle piece, 

instead of the usual beauty & skincare related blog posts. 

So here was something that I thought of during the weekends..

Being 23 years old might not be old to many..

But cos' of the number of years that I proclaimed independence from my parents,

I realised how much I have grown & matured.

Although I might still be the little baby in the family, 

I would say that I am proud of myself today despite the many mistakes I might have made along the way.

(& I'm not afraid of making more mistakes in the many years to come..)

So here's the 5 things I would like to say to my younger self, if I could travel back in time. 

#1.   Make Mistakes, & Learn From Them. 

I have never been fearful of making mistakes, cos that is how we all learn. 

The latter is really important. 

Otherwise, we will end up going in circles like a dog chasing its' tail- 

A fruitless attempt. 

I have made many mistakes in life. 

Some small, some ridiculously huge.. 

Nothing too crazy cos' I've always been someone who walks on the safer side of life. 

But, I love making mistakes. 

As weird as that sounds, with every mistake, I am closer to the better choice. 

Imagine this.

You decide to not heed an advice from a friend, family or loved one.

And you falter, badly..

Only then do you realise that you made the wrong choice, 

& proceed to make the right choice later.

Also, it just shows how good an advice that your friend or loved one can give you.

Spending more time with them & heeding their advice would only mean good things in the future.

Don't be afraid to make those mistakes.

Whether they are mistakes in your relationships, work. school, or even life choices. 

Cos' that only means you will come out from your mistakes, wiser & stronger. 

#2.   Never Take Anyone For Granted & Treasure the Good Times!

Along the way, I have lost some friends, and even family members. 

Some were cos of sickness, death & well, some just drifted apart. 

In life, I believe that it takes more fate than we think to be acquainted with anyone. 

Whether it is a colleague, a friend, or a loved one.. 

We should all treasure the times we have with each other because we definitely didn't meet that one person in a population of 7 billion people at random. 

They must mean something to our lives, & we should treasure it. 

In February this year, I lost a friend to depression. 

& it was a pretty big blow. 

I would cry while I was asleep & told my ex boyfriend how I saw his wished I could see his face again..

So treasure your loved ones, cos you never know when it will be the final time you will see them around.

Parents, are  a huge part of our lives. 

Without them, we wouldn't be here. 

No matter how they might nag at you, scold you, punish you..

They love you & want only the best for you.

Heed their advice once in awhile & you'd realise how beneficial they are. 

& don't forget to give them an extra hug or kiss, or any signs of affection while growing up..

They are growing old too. 

I used to resent my mum for her strict ways, and over protection of me. 

I hated how I had a curfew till the age of 18. 

I couldn't hang out with my friends freely after school at malls etc. 

But I realised that all she wanted me to do was focus on the right things in life at that time-

School, Education, Academics etc. 

She was my discipline mistress, just steering me in the right direction. 

You might not understand their pains & efforts now, but you will, someday. 

#3.   Do Not Try To Fit In.

Standing out in the crowd sucks..

Being a sore thumb sucks, cos the rest will tend to pick on you. 

However, you should always say true to yourself, be who you are. 

Never change yourself just to fit in. 

Never skip school just to look cool & rebellious.

Never curse & swear at a young age (without knowing the actual meaning), 

just cos' everyone is doing it. 

Never lose weight (especially unhealthily) just cos they call you fat. 

Embrace your difference. 

Love it, & not hate it.

Only then would no one's words be able to bring you down.. 

#4.   Believe In Yourself.

Always believe in yourself & your capabilities. 

Never doubt yourself, & never give up on yourself!

If you have any hint that you might be good at something, try it. 

If you think you could achieve that something, 

put in your utmost effort, & you will succeed. 

Even if you don't, you have already succeeded in your own books for not giving up, 

and breaking your own record or mark. 

Never let anyone's words or doubts tear you down. 

There are many negative people out there who will love to bring you down, 

& fill you up with negativity that have already engulfed them. 

Ignore them. 

Positivity ALWAYS triumphs Negativity!

#5.   Never Be In a Hurry To Fall In Love. 

Never rush yourself to fall in love or to start a relationship, 

without even loving yourself. 

I made this mistake when I was young. 

I've always wanted to be in love..

To have someone there for me, to love & to be loved. 

& I did that, without even knowing how to love myself. 

Take your time. 

Find out what you really like & want in a partner. 

Weigh your options & think not only with your heart, but with your mind. 

Yes, 

take a leap of faith if you think this relationship will work out. 

Though you might think of that many, many times with many different people. 

(#1 applies here: Never be afraid to make mistakes, BUT learn from them.)

& most importantly, never degrade yourself in any way for the guy you love. 

I took a few blows, physical ones, when I was younger & still did not leave that guy. 

I even got emotionally & verbally abused, & still did not leave that guy. 

Never let anyone tell you that you are unworthy.

Never let anyone make you feel that way either. 

Speak up for yourself, & when you have had enough, 

never be afraid to walk away for good. 

At the end of the day, we all chose to be in a relationship so as to be happy,
& to make someone happy too. 

If you are not happy, or your partner is not happy, 

why would you still want that relationship? 

Young & innocent relationships should be about happiness, love,

& improving yourself through the help of your other half. 

Remember that. 

Though I would have many other things to say to my younger self, 

given the possibility that I could.. 

This were the 5 main things of utmost importance to me as I looked back at my past. 

I would say even though I wasn't able to tell myself that many years ago, 

I still turned out fine.. 

& maybe, just maybe, we don't need our future self to warn us of any of these advices. 

Cos' we will come to learn of them in the time to come. 

I hope this blog post was however, an interesting read that was out of the norm. 

If you did enjoy it, 

feel free to leave me a comment of your version of the 5 things you would say to your younger self in a comment below.

& if you are shy, feel free to even email me at clarabeltan@gmail.com

I would love to hear from you!

Till my next blog post.
Happy Weekends! 

xoxo @clarabeltan