I’ve been thinking about my inner child a lot lately. I’ll be doing some mundane task like driving to class in the morning, and suddenly I’ll be struck with some feeling of nostalgia that overpowers me for a couple of seconds. I think it might have something to do with the fact that I just turned twenty-one last month, and I’m “officially” stepping into adulthood, which is sort of a scary place to walk into. It’s a weird feeling to know that you’re growing up and knowing in your heart that things are never going to stop changing. But at the same time, isn’t that comforting? To know that you’ve lived to see so many different versions of yourself and will continue to do so?
Without even realizing it, the things that might feel absolutely normal to me now are things that I dreamed about as a child. I am studying things that I am passionate about in university, I am living independently in a different city, I have friends that I love, and that love me, and I’m healthy and happy. I spent so long dreaming about these things and wishing that I would be where I am today. It’s okay to take a second to be proud of yourself for getting this far. I feel like we spend so much time planning what’s next and worrying about the future that we don’t stop to realize all of the wonderful gifts that we have in the present. The younger me would freak out knowing all of the amazing opportunities and experiences that I’ve had.
Whenever I feel down, I’ve just started to think about that younger version of myself, cheering me on and knowing that I’m fulfilling her dreams one day at a time. I’m making her proud, and that brings me an incomprehensible amount of joy. Take a second to think about how far you’ve come and how proud a younger version of yourself would be looking at all the things you’ve accomplished. Trust me, it’s worth it.