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I’ve had ideas about this post bouncing around in my thoughts for the past couple of weeks, and I spent way too much time thinking about it instead of just sitting down and writing it. During that time, I kept running into things that reminded me of this post, so I knew that I couldn’t just let it go. I’m glad that I’m finally taking the time to blog about this.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about my younger self and the role that she plays in my life today. Have  you ever looked back at something that you wrote, posted, or recorded in the past and cringed? I’m sure the answer is yes. This is something that we often do. We look back at our younger selves and can’t believe how embarrassing, naive, or immature we were. We criticize our past fashion choices, hair styles, and a lot of other decisions that we made. Sometimes I think we miss the beauty of who we were then. Yes, there were bad decisions and negative experiences, but we often forget about the simple things that used to make our eyes light up, and the incredible dreams that we had before people told us that we couldn’t. Why is it that when we look back, we see the negative pieces of who we were and miss out on the positives?

I really hate the feeling of leaving things undone. I’m sure I’m not the only one. And do you know what’s worse? That point when it feels like its too late to go back and finish what I started. I realize that I have procrastinated or let fear take control for too long, and I feel powerless. I feel like I missed my chance to fix things, and I’m stuck living with the consequences. Most times I am the only person standing in my way. At times, I sabotage my own dreams and give them up in exchange for temporary comfort. I’m tired of giving up for the wrong reasons, aren’t you?

I wonder how much better off we would be if we looked back and tried to embrace some of the positive parts of who we used to be, if we dusted off an old dream and paired it with the new lessons that we’ve learned and skills that we picked up along the journey. Think about how unstoppable you could be if you combined your old dreams with your new experience. Don’t be afraid to take a chance, and don’t let your new found doubts, and past disappointments, keep you from being the person that you’ve dreamt of becoming.

British girl-group Little Mix recently released a song that I think is a perfect illustration of this idea. The song is called Little Me, and it talks about how much potential they now see in their younger selves. Their music video adds a new dimension to the song’s message and focuses on the “Little Mes” that surround them. Check out the video, it’s pretty incredible.

I have two things that I would love to see you do. First, I want you to work towards realizing an old dream that your younger self used to hold.  This is your chance to do something incredible, so don’t hold back. Second, I want you to find a little you in your life and help them realize a dream that they have. Tell him or her, and yourself, that anything is possible, and watch both of you soar. I dare you!

– Lauren

P.S. It’s been way too long since my last post. I sincerely apologize! My goal for this semester is for us to upload blog/vlog posts bi-weekly. So stick around for more content coming soon :).