Hey Kid, We All Make Mistakes

We learn from past experiences and mistakes. Some mistakes leave serious consequences. Some mistakes make you wonder, “was I that dumb?”

Well, yes, you were. But it’s okay because as we grow, we learn and better ourselves.

I’m a 23-year-old trying to make it as a writer. And if I could write a letter to myself 10 years ago, here’s what I’d say.

Don’t Be Afraid To Speak The Truth

Not everyone will agree with you and that’s okay. You shouldn’t bend the truth just to fit in. You’ll learn people prefer cold-hard truths.

And if they can’t accept you for who you truly are, it’s okay. There are others who accepts and respects you.

Stand Up For Yourself

You’re able to speak up for your friends but when it comes to yourself, you cower away. Why? Until today, I can’t figure out why we’d do that to ourselves.

But I do know this — you are the greatest friend you can ever have.

There’ll be a lot of missed opportunities if you continue to not do things for yourself. Be brave. It’s okay to be different. Don’t let them tell you otherwise.

It’s Okay To Say No

There are going to be times when people ask you to do something you don’t want to do. Just know it’s okay to say no and stand firm on your decision.

You don’t have to like everything they like. Be your own person.

If they call you names for not doing what they want, let them. You’re not being selfish or a coward. You’re protecting yourself.

You Don’t Know Everything

Yes, you pick up things faster than your peers but that does not give you the right to be a snob.

As you sit back and watch others struggle, they’re slowly catching up to your learning pace. Soon, they’re going to overtake you. And you’ll be left in the dust.

Don’t be too complacent. There’s always room for improvement and growing.

Remember, you’re only 13 and have a lot to learn.

It’s okay to be curious. You’re not a teacher’s pet for constantly asking questions. As I said, we pick up things fast so there’s bound to be more we could be learning.

Don’t Beat Yourself Up

Even as I’ve told you these things, you are bound to make mistakes. It’s part and parcel of life. We learn from our past, live the best life we could possibly have, and let go of the things we can’t control.

In fact, I challenge you to make as many mistakes as possible for the next 5 years. Your life will be extremely different but you’ll learn way more than I ever did.

I was too afraid to try new things and experience bizarre situations. That’s the one mistake I wish I knew back then.

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This post was previously published on a Few Words and is republished here with permission from the author.
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