Welcome to my new series, WOW From My Younger Self! As you may know, this blog came to be because of my passion for sharing “WOW”, aka “words of wisdom”. This passion took root in my middle school years. Since then, I’ve gained so much insight and perspective to make my WOW stronger in my adult years. At the same time, there are certainly aspects of my earlier WOW that I still stand by to this day. Upon rereading my old WOW, I thought it would be fun to extract my favorite tidbits for a blog series! Sometimes teenage wisdom, though simpler than adult wisdom, is exactly what we need to hear.
Today’s WOW from my younger self is a sentiment that would always serve as the bottom line in my advice. No matter what the advice was about, I’d always tell that person to ultimately just be true to themself. (It wouldn’t always be in those exact words, but that would be the general idea). As obvious or cliché as that may sound, I wanted them to realize that they should only do what resonates with them.
As I explained in the blog’s About section, I don’t blatantly tell people what specific actions to take or decisions to make. Rather, I empower them to trust their own judgment/intuition and do what feels right to them. My WOW simply serves to offer them constructive mindset shifts regarding their situations, often alongside ideas for constructive action-taking. It’s up to them to take those shifts/ideas and apply them in whatever ways they see fit. Even when I give tangible suggestions, I only want people to take those suggestions if they feel true to them.
Now that I’m a blogger, giving my advice on a larger scale, I’m even more mindful of the importance of this sentiment. I’m writing my blog posts for more than one person, meaning that they’re not individualized. Advice isn’t one-size-fits-all, no matter how insightful it may be. I do aim to give advice that’s applicable to a wide range of people and situations, but I realize that not everything I say will apply to every single person reading it. And that’s okay! I only want you to take the parts of my advice that feel right for YOU into your life. If the shoe fits, wear it! And if not, but you imagine it fitting someone you know, feel free to share it with them!
This bottom line is also an important reminder that everyone’s brain has a unique way of operating. What clicks in someone else’s mind, no matter who they are, may not line up exactly with what clicks in yours. Even if it’s someone close to you, someone whose advice you value, a professional, etc., ultimately, YOU are the only person who can determine what’s best for you. Of course, getting those outside perspectives can be helpful, as they know you and/or the topic at hand very well. However, there’s no pressure or obligation to take any advice that just doesn’t sit right with you.
Additionally, this might be relevant to you if you enjoy giving advice or guidance to others. When guiding someone, you may have a strong opinion regarding how they should handle their situation. If they ask for it, or at least seem open to it, you can kindly share it with them. Ultimately, though, the strength of your opinion shouldn’t outweigh your genuine desire for that person to do what feels right to them. There are few exceptions, such as situations where the person is causing harm to themself or someone else. Other than that, though, all that’s left to do after providing your input is to support them. Even if they don’t take your advice and later regret it, at least they can say they did what they felt was right at the time. The experience taught them a lesson that they needed to learn in that particular way.
As I’ve matured, and my WOW has matured with me, I continue to emphasize trusting yourself and making decisions authentically. Some things never change, and I’m glad to say that that’s one of them!