What Advice would You Give Your Younger Self?

Posted on August 07, 2024 by Annie Dietz, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.

I recently attended a ‘free’ coaching webinar, the kind with the not-so-hidden agenda of selling you a product that you probably don’t need and shouldn’t buy? Well, good news! I got away without buying anything.

They did pose a thought-provoking question: Would you choose $100,000 or the chance to give advice to your 25-year-old self? They shared that most people choose advice, valuing the potential of the long term change in their life over money.

This got me thinking about my two freshman children, one headed to high school and the other entering college. Given that my attempts at imparting wisdom fall on deaf ears with them, what’s the chance that my younger self would hear anything that I had to share?

That thought, compounded by the fact that I know of no way to to travel to the past, leads me to share my insights with you here.

My journey to becoming a coach required a lot of unlearning. I have discovered key insights that I integrated into Annie 2.0, a.k.a, THE Annie Dietz. Insights that have allowed me to live a more balanced and enjoyable life.

I have to say that it feels amazing to be living my life more aligned with my authentic self. I am passionate about how I show up and honor myself, as well as, those I care about, and sometimes most importantly, how I honor total strangers.

We all have different purposes in this life and I believe we share a common desire to better understand ourselves. Some people explore this deeply during their time on this planet, while others choose not to; that is great! It’s an individual choice. Unlearning, for me, meant sorting out inherited beliefs, biases and behaviors from my own observations. From this I then decided how I want to show up in the world.

Recognizing that my life lessons may differ from yours allows me to appreciate the beauty in our uniqueness and respect others instead of judging them for being different than me. We are all learning different things at different times.

Here are some insights I’ve gathered that might resonate with you.

Love Yourself First

Without having self love, there’s no way to fully share your love with someone else. Seeking validation from outside sources keeps you seeking, chasing, and finding fault in others as a way to overlook the faults in yourself. I firmly believe that learning to love and accept yourself, flaws and all, is the foundation for a happy and fulfilling life.

This can be tough to really own. Embrace your uniqueness and remember that what other people think of you is NONE of your business.

Trust Your Instincts and Follow Your Passion

Listen to your gut.

If I had a dollar for the number of times I didn’t listen to my gut, well, I’d be writing this from some tropical paradise instead of in my coaching studio. When you trust your instincts, you are listing to your inner wisdom and aligning with your true self. Go with the flow, if something feels right, pursue it with enthusiasm.

Conversely, know when to let go. If you keep hitting a brick wall, it might be time to consider another path. Be careful about allowing your ego to take the lead. Yes, passion fuels perseverance. The talent lies in being able to make an informed decision and knowing when to pivot with purpose.

It Takes an Awful Lot of No’s to Get to a Yes

When you get a no, ask yourself if you are closer to understanding what it will take to get a yes? Perseverance is an important skill to possess, as long as you can discern when it is right to push forward from when you are going against your gut (see above).

Prioritize Self-Care and Well-Being

How often have you seen quotes from people in their 90s reflecting on life? The common theme is that no one regrets not spending more time at work; they regret not spending more time with loved ones and enjoying life’s little moments.

For me, this also reinforces loving yourself first. Self-care isn’t selfish; refueling yourself allows you to give more to others. I achieve this in many forms, including exercise, downtime, and engaging with friends and family.

When you are with the ones you love. Be. With. Them. Be Present. Set down your phone, take your focus off of everything else. Practice living in the moment. Presence is a gift that can bring such joy to your life.

So, what do you think? How does this resonate with you? What unlearning have you experienced that makes you who you are today? Or did you choose to take the money? There is no wrong answer.