A former Buddhist monk, Jay Shetty, asks, what advice would your 10-year-old self give you? What advice would your 80-year-old self give you? He says your answers to these two questions will help you find your highest path.
Today is my 46th birthday, and these questions feel especially relevant.
I have regularly pondered the answer to that first question because I think my 10-year-old self would think her future turned out darn near perfect. I am living the life she dreamed of. I became a television reporter, wrote 4 books so far, and had two awesome children with whom I share a tight bond. I’m also dating a smoking hot man who treats me like a queen and I own a townhouse near the ocean in Southern California. Throw in a few other things I never even dreamed of, and my younger self would be so very pleased.
I don’t say these things to brag. I say them because I’ve spent a lot of time these past 6 years feeling ashamed of my life and worried about my future.
Somewhere between ages 10 and 46, my values and desires veered toward things I thought I “should” be doing at my age. I should be happily married. I should be living in a proper single family detached home with a backyard. I should have a sizable retirement account at my age. I should have a solid career that is guaranteed to always pay the bills every month, forever.
Looking at what my 10 year old self dreamed of, reminds me I am in alignment with my deepest desires, not the desires I interpret as socially acceptable, and that is something to feel good about.
Which leads me to the harder question to answer; what advice would my 80-year-old self give me on my 46th birthday?
After giving this a whole lot of thought, here’s what I came up with. I think she would say; you broke your rules to create something bigger. It’s done, no take backs. Look forward.
Celebrate this one life you have by continuing to serve your passion, because in doing so, you are best serving your loved ones, and even more importantly, yourself.
Every single day on this earth is valuable, it’s not just about where you land at 80. I can not tell you the ending, but I can promise you this – you are going to be okay.
Blow out your candles, eat your delicious cake, dance with your children, stay in bed with your man, revel in the sunshine, and keep doing you. You got this, Blossom – keeping blooming.
Go party like it’s your birthday.