Five pieces of advise from my older self to my younger self

Whenever I see old pictures of our younger selves, I often wonder where did the time whizz by, suddenly making you feel old and obsolete. And you are only left sighing and wishing to turn back time and freeze the ticking aging clock in your prime years. To keep you forever young and healthy. Alas! 

Though, if I could go back in time and meet my younger self today, I definitely would want to share a few words of wisdom along with caution..some which has helped me to navigate life through ups and down and some which I feel lacking in me and would like to instill in my younger self.  

Never lose your faith in God.

I never have been the religious kind but ever since childhood I have always believed in the existence of God and in a spiritual way, have always felt His hand as a shield on myself, protecting and guiding through all life challenges. Though, I realised the power of this belief only after it weakened a bit in last few years and fears and anxiety took over that belief. So this is one thing I would definitely advise my younger self to retain that belief she had then and never falter upon it. Trust me, it is an underestimated superpower which can alter the way you deal with life!

Never lose the calm and positive vibes that you exuberate.

Yes, I know my younger self was way more calmer and positive then my current version. How I wish I had even half of it what I had then, then I would not have let anxiety take over me or atleast it would have been a lot easier to deal with it. From being like 'Chill, nothing can happen to me or go wrong' to being like 'Omg! what if this happens to me or goes wrong'. And anxiety overtook the calm. So yeah this is another superpower which I believe my younger self had but my older self lost it somewhere along the way. So again i would beg my younger self not to let it lose to keep anxiety and stress at bay which in turn will help to lead a life full of positivity and calmness! 

Be open to learning new things.

This is one area where probably I have done better than my younger self. My younger self was not very open to new ideas or exploring new things or hobbies. She was very confined to her likings and hobbies and was apprehensive to try anything new.  But my older version has deciphered the art of trying out new things outside of my comfort zone. Like dancing. I literally had two left feet when it came to dancing but I suddenly developed a liking for dancing after I hit forties and had this urge to learn this art form so I started taking dance lessons and now, though I'm nowhere close to being a good dancer, I enjoy it without being awkward about it. 

Always prioritize to stay healthy and fit instead of focusing on just losing weight. 

Yes, I have always been a bit conscious about fitness but my fitness goals were limited to not going beyond a certain weight and hence my younger self often used to hit the gym back then. That was definitely good but only after being in my late thirties did I realise what being fit actually means. Losing weight is definitely a feel good factor and a bonus if you achieve that but an overall healthy body and mind is more important than just being in shape. After a certain age, mental health plays an important role especially after forties when you start going through perimenopause, menopause and other chemical lochas(read: hormonal changes) happening in your body. I was on a rollercoaster of negative emotions with anxiety, fears, anger, resentment and frustration. Gradually, started to focus more on my mental health with making yoga, meditation and breathing techniques, a part of my daily routine. I wouldn't say i have completely overcome all my negative emotions but I can definitely see a change and this fitness routine has helped me achieve a certain amount of peace and calmness. 

Travel all you can, while you can.

I have always loved traveling and have always been passionate about it. Still am. Though, when we are young we always feel that we still have a lot of time left to travel and enjoy life and we tend to keep on postponing it for some or the other reason. But as soon as you enter your midlife, it suddenly hits you that life is not as long as it seems when you are young. You never know when your journey on this earth will come to an abrupt end so explore it to the fullest before it ends. And sooner the better while you are young, able and fit to do so.

These are just some thoughts and perspectives from my personal experience of life. 

So, what would YOU advise YOUR younger self at this stage of life?? Do let me know in the comments. Would love to read your perspective of life as well.