Some of my proudest moments as an adult are met with immense sorrow for my younger self. The fear of unending struggles hovered over my adolescent mind for years, tarnishing much of the hopes, happiness, and playfulness we're meant to experience as kids and teens.
My deltoid muscles were always tense because my body chose to store stress there, as if I were literally carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. I wish I wasn't so scared all of the time. I wish I spent more time playing, living in the moment, and taking full advantage of my youth.
While forever grateful for how my life ultimately unfolded, I wish I had known certain profound truths sooner. I wonder how much softer, kinder, and more compassionate I would have been to myself and the amount of ease I could've felt if only I had known.
These truths revealed themselves in time, shaping my understanding of the world and my place in it. Had I embraced them earlier, I might have experienced a greater sense of inner peace, joy, growth, and authentic happiness.
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