WE get wiser as we age, we continuously obtain knowledge that helps us grow in the long run. 

As we go on a journey through life, each experience we have shapes us to be the person we are today. Mistakes were made and lessons were learned. 

If we were to go back in time, there are some things that we wish we had known earlier before pushing through the actions we’re about to take. While most of us aren’t happy with the outcome it gets, it eventually subsides as we get to learn something from what we have done. 

Growing up, most of the adults around us would often advise us on what to do or not. Whether we admit it or not, we usually tend not to follow that advice because we want to see with our own eyes the outcome of our chosen action. 

And with that little stubbornness from not following our elders–we find ourselves regretting the decisions we’ve made, but we come to learn from it. 

In this article, republicasia reached out to Millennials and Gen-Zs to share what kind of advice they would give to their younger self today. 

Do not be afraid to say no 

Not being afraid to say no and not letting others push you on the things you don’t want to do is something that 19-year-old Chelsky would give as advice to her younger self.  

She chose to give herself this advice because she found her younger self to be kind to everyone–reaching the point that she forgot about herself because she already gave everything to other people. 

“Kahit ayaw ko siyang gawin or kahit ubos na ubos na ako, I will still choose them over me.” She said. “But that was before. You have to speak up for yourself. Yes it might hurt other feelings kasi aayaw ka sa gusto nila. Pero its for the best and its the right decision that you made.” 

Chelsky also added that it’s not up to them to make decisions for her as she has her own life. She would also encourage her younger self to go for what she wants and what she wants to do. 

“Kapag pinipilit ka nila sa mga gusto nila na ayaw mo naman. They are not the right people for you. Iwan mona yan sila. They are not your true people.” She said. “True people is the people who understands and support your decisions in life. People will stay with you until the end and never leave you behind.” 

Never give up on the things she’s fighting for 

For 22-years-old Maria Michaela, the advice that she would give to her young self is not to give up on the things she’s fighting for. 

She shared how she was held back on a lot of things that she knew would’ve made a difference but she wasn’t strong enough to speak up about it. 

“I was trapped into the saying “no one will call you a mute if you don’t talk” hence that there are plenty of conversations that just stayed in my mind.” She said. 

Magtiyaga ka 

If 29-year-old Mylene were to go back to give her younger self advice, that would be “magtiyaga ka.” 

“Lumaki kami sa hirap tapos madami kaming nadanasan.” She shared. 

Mylene shared on how she and her siblings grew up in poverty–finding a way to live by waste collecting and trading when she was younger. 

She told herself that when she grew up, she was not going to be doing the same thing because it was hard so that’s why she chose to finish her studies so that they wouldn’t go back there. 

“Ayon nga sabi ko din sa mga kapatid ko. Nakapagtiyaga naman kami. Sabi ko sa mga kapatid ko dati, kung ano yung mga nakita niyo dati, huwag niyo ng gayahin ngayon.” She said. 

The advices that we get to give to our younger selves serves as a reminder of the lessons and progress that resulted from the experiences we’ve come to gain over time. 

These serve as a reflection on the things that we’ve encountered in the past that caused us to grow and progress. 

This reflection gives us the most significant lesson learned–the value of self-compassion, and living in the present while striving for a better future.