Words to My Younger Self
IMAGE COURTESY OF SHANNAH BURDEN
by Shannah Burden
I have a question for you ladies. Are you filled with regret about your past? Be honest with yourself. Are there things you would tell your younger self now? Lessons you learned?
Well, I don't have any regrets because I believe that every single thing in my life (including my choices) all work together for my good. But I have some things that I would like to tell my younger 20 something-year-old self and if I wrote a letter, it would go something like this.
Letter to My Younger Self
Dear Shannah,
I just want to tell you that every single thing that you're going through is going to work out for your good. God is going is use even THIS for your good! Don't rush the process and don't be too hard on yourself, you're okay, like for real you're OK. The end.
Pretty short and simple right? But it's so true. For every moment that I have felt insecure, lost, miserable, confused, unimportant, unorganized or during my mean, hurtful moments and every heart break, EVERYTHING has somehow come together for me. How so? Because it birthed purpose within me. Now I have a message and an actual calling. I know how to speak to the pain of some women and HONESTLY tell them that it's going to be okay.
Here's what you can do, look back on your life and think about how you can use the message you learned from your mess to bless others. Don't dwell on your mistakes and do NOT live in regret. If anyone tries to make you feel guilty, that person doesn't deserve to be in the inner core of your life. Yes, that's right, divide your circles into cores.
“If anyone tries to make you feel guilty, that person doesn’t deserve to be in the inner core of your life. ”
Cores in My Life
1. My inner core: the people I can go to about everything and can actually TRUST (this should be a small number by the way)
2. My outer core: the people who I love dearly but we may not talk about everything or hang out all the time (not for any bad or negative reasons but just because) and also this core is for the people I can only take in "doses". You know the people that you can only hang out with every once in a while. You love them, but from a DISTANCE.
3. My outer outer core: these are the people who gets none of my energy, care or time. I only deal with them because I have to for work, special projects, or things of that nature.
You are only as limited as your perspective and your circle. Make sure both are right and beneficial.
What are some words of advice you would give your younger self ?
Shannah Burden is a motivator, blogger, the ordinary girl next door on an extraordinary mission to empower young women everywhere, through her non-profit organization, No Validation Needed. A native of the small town Harleyville, South Carolina, Shannah hopes to travel the world and reach millions with her story of hope and unshakeable self-confidence. She plans to build an empire with No Validation Needed and she wants to reach others through various creative avenues.
