Written by Emma Schumer-Caldwell
Do you remember when you were at the beginning of high school, looking at all the older kids or some of the younger teachers and feeling kilometres apart from them.
Like they were some untouchable, all-knowing god?
It hit me recently when catching up with a high school friend about to graduate, that we have become the big-scary adults that we used to look up to.
My friend and I started recounting all the subtle accomplishments we’d had that our 12-year-old selves would be amazed at.
And then, like when you open a pack of Tim Tams vowing to just have one, one after the other, you just can’t stop. We recounted a whole grocery list of what we now thought were mundane accomplishments that our younger selves would have LIT UP at the thought of doing.
And just like that I had such a buzz, I actually felt like the omniscient being that 12-year-old Emma looked up to.
I find that we often opt to remind ourselves of all the things that haven’t gone according to plan.
I’m sure a psychology student can link that to some logic about how our lizard brain holds onto failures more than success, so we don’t do it again and increase our chances of survival.
I’m quite confident in today’s world that if you’ve transferred from oral health to teaching even though you were hell-bent on being a dentist, no one’s going to die.
The good news is, that same big brain of yours that comes up with failures so effortlessly, can do the same for the accomplishments you’ve had.
So, I dare you to take a moment to rattle off something you’ve done in the last week that younger you would think is proper madness.
Embody that child-like ignorance that makes life so carefree and just let yourself be proud of all the things you’ve done while you continue to chip away on your journey.
Get really personal with it too, don’t fall into the comparison trap, hone in on YOUR younger self.
For me, I haven’t travelled much, I haven’t saved up and bought many luxurious items, I haven’t graduated yet and as someone who loves learning, I’ll never feel done with it.
So I have to make sure I feel accomplished as I go because if I’m not enjoying the road there, chances are I won’t enjoy the view at the end.
But more important to me than my list of “haven’t dones”, is the things I have…
Things little Em is proud of:
- Doing fun runs, for fun, and not dying. I used to think that running events were for for the elite of the elite only, I’ve now done 3 fun runs between 10 and 22km’s and can solemnly swear I am no elite human
- Reading multiple books at once – I also thought this was reserved for the elite of humankind (thanks audible)
- Learning gymnastics at 22 years old. I truly hope I never master anything so I can continue to learn.
- Investing money into more education and letting that excite me instead of terrifying me. Buying pretty dresses and matching athletic kits definitely is a treat I won’t stop doing, but buying courses and books that build my mind is a whole other kind of self-care.
It’s too easy to wish away the time you have left until you finally achieve that next goal (I’m sure I’m not the only one currently doing it with only 3 weeks of uni left for Session 2).
But by constantly wishing away this moment you’re never actually where your feet are and I find that’s the easiest way to let life flash you by, before you start wishing to do it all over again.
So pretty please take a moment today to list a few things you’re proud of recently, then do it again tomorrow… and the next day.
I reckon mini-you would be a happy little Vegemite of the life you have accomplished so far.
