What would your younger self make of you now?

[VladmirsPoutine]

I came across a similar thread on Twitter and thought it would be interesting on MN.

What would your younger self think of you today. Let's say your late teenage years / early 20s girl make of what your life looks like now?

My teenage self would be very impressed - I did most of the things I had considered. I am probably a lot more boring than I would have anticipated but in terms of career I did end up working in my dream job and travelling to the countries I wanted to live in. I also randomly got into Oxford which my sisters had a bet on. I don't have kids or a husband which I thought I would but whatever.

I think she would be shocked that I had 2 kids.
I think she'd be disappointed that I don't have some high flying career.
She'd be impressed I've been married to Dh for so long.

Not sure what I'd advise her.......

Ha Absolutepower good work, maybe the two things were linked?

She'd be annoyed that I am still as indecisive as ever, never worked out my dream career (yet!). But happy that I still like laughing and being as childish as ever at times. She'd also think "so that's why you never did those things!" when I explained!

Oh gosh she'd be terrified
BUT I'd encourage her to look past the fact that 34 year old me is living with stage 4 cancer, and hope that she'd be proud of everything else - the career, house and most of all wonderful 10 year old DS that she's raised alone.

I never dreamed of being so comfortable financially. The property I own was beyond my dreams when living in a flat in an east London slum.

My D.C. are better than my dreams.

I would be shocked with what I have put up with in my marriage.

She’d think I was her hero!

I pulled myself through all of the trauma of my abusive childhood. I’m academically accomplished (two degrees, part way through PhD), great job, great DH, literally living the life of my dreams. Childfree by choice too so ample disposable income and complete freedom to live the life I want. I’ve travelled the world and have several more trips planned for the following months (if Coronavirus doesn’t kill me)!

She would be proud that I married a truly amazing man and had a beautiful daughter. Shocked that I moved out of the town that she was born in and loved. Happy that I'm debt free as own a nice house. Proud that I'm half way through a degree. Disappointed that I didn't travel though.

She would hopefully be reasonably impressed. She'd be pleased that I have a daughter and steady partner, and probably slightly surprised by my fairly recent move to Derbyshire from Surrey. She'd be proud that I still have a bit of independent quirkiness.

Amazed that I was so stable & ordinary.

@DoreensEatingHerSoreen I really hope things get better soon x

That's a really interesting twist on the usual ''what would you say to yourself 20-30 years ago?'' question as the first focuses on what you wish you'd done better......... but actually, the end result, the outcome, I think 25 year old me would be relieved and impressed that I had the main things I thought I wanted, but actually that I'm free of the anxious tapes that used to run in my head I'm content, optimistic, employed, a mother, I have my health, i have a big handbag and a small pension :-p Maybe that should be the other way round but some things spark joy.

@Fanthorpe
Wow, thank you, I'd never put the two together. Makes sense now. Once I'd dumped her I didn't need the crutch anymore.
@DoreensEatingHerSoreen
hope life is kind to you from now on

I'd be pretty pleased as I've achieved a lot more than I thought was possible when I was younger. Though, I would probably think I was slightly boring for not having married a rockstar (no offence to DH...).

I managed to reconcile the industry I wanted to work in with the school subjects I loved, which is something I didn't think was possible. I also travel a lot for work which my younger self would have seen as very glamorous.

Rather unintentionally I live in the USA which is something I used to daydream about. My house is around about what I'd have expected as a teen, but for so many years in my early to mid 20's it seemed like a pipe dream.

She’d cry. Cry that the vibrant, always out clubbing, beautiful, slim being has turned out the way she has.

A fat person who is in constant pain - emotionally and physically, who doesn’t even bother to brush her hair or put on some make up because her partner has made her feel ugly and worthless.

I’m sorry I let you down. I’d advise you to remember that you are beautiful, clever and funny and to grab at life with everything in your being before it’s too late.

Overall I think she would be pleased - I have a great job, wonderful DH, lovely home, great friends, gorgeous baby. But also surprised by a few things - that I only have 1 DC and that she's only a baby, that I don't have a dog, that I let my weight get so bad (although finally that's heading in the right direction), that my job is a desk job.

My younger self would have been proud and grateful

Happy with the fact I’m happy. Hadn’t given a thought to having children but liked children so probably happy that I’ve now got 3. Slightly surprised at my chosen career and how much I love my hobby. Glad that I have a dog. Surprised that I married an Englishman. Would be disappointed that I haven’t solved some great world problem or worked to help people in poverty stricken places.

Very proud

I think my younger self would be absolutely mortified by what I've become. I was very anti establishment, anti marriage and anti kids. I wanted nothing more than to leave the small town I grew up in and move to a big city.

So here I am, working for the establishment, married with two kids and living five miles down the road. But I also hope that I'd be able to see I've done a lot of things I never thought were possible. Like making peace with myself and accepting myself as I am.

Not too late to make changes stopchelping

Late teens me would be shocked im still alive, as making it past 21 was something she never considered. And then i think she'd do what i do when i think about her, and cry tears of sheer, unbelievable relief. I got everything i ever wanted. Its not anything wild, just a good man, an enjoyable job and a healthy baby, but it felt like far too much to ask for at 17.

I think she'd want to know why I wasn't living in some far-flung exotic location. I think she'd be mortified with the man I chose to marry but would be pretty chuffed with my 3 daughters.

Thanks ladies
I'm keeping on keeping on for the time being

She would be horrified and disgusted at how fat I am.
But she would be amazed that I stood up for myself and dcs and dh against my abusive parents. She'd be proud that I was able to live without them controlling me.