I love the podcast Bad on Paper, especially their ‘3 Things‘ monthly episodes that they introduced this year! A few weeks back, they asked three simple questions of each other:
1. In your life now, what’s something your 16-year old self would be surprised about?
2. What’s something they would be proud of?
3. What’s something they’d hate?
It got me thinking! Here are my answers…what are yours?
1. Something my 16-year old self would be surprised about
I really think my 16-year old self would be genuinely, legitimately surprised that my high school boyfriend was not still in the picture. I think she’d like Hayden?! But all the same, it would be confusing for her. Remember the intensity of teenage emotion, particularly when it comes to your first serious boyfriend or girlfriend? She’d be surprised, for sure. Not upset or angry or happy…just very surprised.
2. Something my 16-year old self would be proud of
I think my past self would be proud of what a lovely life I have built. Once she got over the shock of seeing that my husband is someone brand new to her, I think she’d look at my family, my house, my career, my friends, my travels, and my cooking prowess, and she’d feel proud of what she would create over the next 23 years (jeepers). I have and do things now that my 16-year old self could only dream of – sometimes not even that; my career, for example, did not exist then!
3. Something my 16-year old self would hate
Hahaha – that I’m back on the Shore?! In all seriousness, I think she’d hate that I have ‘settled’ (as she’d see it) for life as an unknown. When I was 16, I wanted fame! I wanted recognition and riches and other ridiculous things…and I think past-me would hate that now-me not only doesn’t have those things, but doesn’t want those things. With the exception of recognition, which I think is a common human need…we all need to be recognised and seen for ourselves and our achievements, whether they be major or minor. But I now need that to be from a few people only, rather than adulation from the world at large. Now-me is content. Past-me would think that’s a total cop-out. 😂
Trust me, this is a fun exercise! I’d love to hear; what would your 16-year old self think of your life now? What would surprise them; what would they be proud of; what would they hate?
The Judd Crew 