Getting Older

I turned 25 last week and I woke up feeling exactly the same. Apart from the fact that I’m now a quarter of a century old (yikes!), I’m still highly neurotic, allergic to working out and much too sensitive (I cried when Dumbledore died… in the book!)

I don’t get the hype. Getting older is supposed to bring wisdom and a wealth of experience from all the lessons life is supposed to have taught me. If you came here for some insight into life and advice on how to keep it all together, you’ve come to the wrong place, I’m not Luwi. Luwi is all sunshine and light, I’m all gloom and doom, Luwi will tell you “it will look better in the morning” while I’ll say “what if you don’t wake up?”

Okay I kid, I’m not that morose. I’m still out here searching for a purpose and direction to my life, moving to Ghana has been illuminating, and tested me physically, mentally, and spiritually. Coupled with the heat, the constant power cuts (otherwise known as LOAD SHEDDING) and water shortages will teach you how to pray!! So now that I’m older and wiser (hahahahahahaha), I’ve been reflecting on things I would have told a 16 year old me. Wide eyed, innocent, nervous, shy and eager as she entered university. She probably would have feigned a studious, intent look as she listened to the advice but forget everything by the next day. Because what do adults know, really?

Sadly, there is no way for me to go back and advise that naïve child. So instead I’ve decided to give 25 year old me some advice. Things to change, things to embrace, and things to be grateful for right now in 2014.

Pris,

Be brave! Try not to be afraid. Going through life fearful of everything, losing loved ones, going to new places, afraid of trying new things; is not healthy! Don’t let fear cripple you. Stop buying the same flavour of ice cream every time! Talk to that person who always sits in the corner and looks interesting. Embrace change, because nothing new will ever happen to you if you keep doing the same things every day.

It’s okay to be disappointed when you realise your parents are human. When you suddenly realise they also make mistakes, and they don’t have the answers to everything is a painful awakening, it starts you on the road to questioning everything about yourself and who you are and how you were raised. That’s alright. Just remember that they always have your best interests at heart and they love you like no one else will ever love you. So forgive them, because everyone makes mistakes, and they always forgive yours!

You are never alone. God is always by your side. In the gut wrenching moments when you feel too overwhelmed by grief to speak, to cry, to pray, remember he is still with you. When life’s disappointments leave you kneeling on the floor in agony and despair, call out to Him. You are not alone. I have felt moments like this in my life and at those low points I felt desolate and adrift but deep down in the most secret crevices of my being I never lost my faith. And neither should you. Our existence is not an accident. There is a reason for everything and you have a purpose. Find it.

Don’t rush. Why do you want to grow up so fast? At 16 I wanted to be 18, at 18 I wanted to be 21, at 21 I couldn’t wait to graduate, I should have savoured those years more, time flies by so fast. Now I’m out here trying not to waste my time wishing I was 16 again. Now that I’m, 25 I don’t want to grow up fast in terms of age, but I am thirsting for independence, to go out on my own and be my own person, I am already looking forward to something that’s going to be filled with its own bucketful of responsibilities and hardships (bills!), best to savour the backbone made up of my family while I still can.

Believe you are beautiful, because you are. You were created in the image of The Creator. You have the blood of your mother, tenacious and immovable, and the blood of your father, proud and headstrong, flowing in your veins. People who have instilled in you a love for more than what is on the external. I remember looking at a picture of a couple on a calendar when I was a child and telling my dad “That guy is ugly” and he said to me “There is no one in the world that is ugly, because God made them”. True beauty comes from within, you can see the kindness and compassion of people literally glowing from within, so let all the goodness in your heart shine out!

Only you can change yourself. No one can change who you are, no one can ‘fix’ you. It is a personal decision. It’s hard but it’s worth it. Is there a change you want in your life, something that you always say “tomorrow, I’ll start” to? Well today is tomorrow and yesterday is gone forever. Change your view on the world and how you interact with it. Be the person you’ve always wanted to be, right now.

And finally

Be your own best friend. Be someone you would want to be friends with. How can you love others as you love yourself if you don’t love yourself in the first place? Learn to accept your flaws and quirks (talking to yourself in the shower is NORMAL!), embrace your insecurities and tell that negative, violent voice in your head to SHUT UP!! 

 Ready to conquer the world!

2014 will be a great year people! It’s full of possibilities! Go wrangle one and make it real!

Now that i've hyped myself up, I'm feeling like the picture above. Channelling my inner wonder woman!