I'm still a few months before my birthday, but I already feel the anxiety of adding up to my years. While children wanted to grow old fast to do things more "freely," people my age wanted to take life as slow as possible to catch up and correct our past mistakes. 

Welcome to the quarter-life crisis. Actually, I'm more into mid-life crisis na nga e. 

I made terrible mistakes in the past. OK hindi naman sobrang terrible, para naman akong walang bait sa sarili. But you get it. I made wrong decisions, which led to not-so-good results. I wasted time. I wasted resources. I missed out on opportunities. 

Thankfully, "...in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28). At least I know I have God to back me up.

Given the chance to talk to my younger self, I'll persuade him to do things better than I did. I want him to be spared from the consequences of my mistakes. Here's the gist of my would-be pep talk. 

Press on, even when it seems impossible

Kid, I know you wanted to be an engineer. You love technicalities. You love to be challenged. Don't let it die down just because someone told you that you'll never be able to make it in life. Don't settle. 

But don't worry. Be glad that we still made it somehow on the alternative path we've chosen. We still encountered challenges and technicalities! But imagine if you, my younger self, pursued our first choice? How different things will be if you pressed on and did not allow yourself to be limited by what was in front of you at that time? 

Don't get me wrong. I am thankful for where God has brought us. But what I want you to know is to never let negative voices trample your dreams. Don't let overwhelming situations stop you from dreaming. Press on, even when it seems impossible. You can conquer, I believe you.

Time is your most dependable ally 

Time is constant. It will not wait for you to mature before you can enjoy its benefits. It will move with or without you hitching at his back. So you need to listen to this, kid: make use of your time wisely.

Gain experience. Study and study hard. Get all the learning you can get while you are still at the peak of your learning capacity. As your prefrontal cortex grows, so must your learning. Learn about technology, about business, about books, about anything your interest leads you. 

Life comes in season. Enjoy and live your season. When the season comes for you to hit adult-sized responsibilities, you'll regret the times you had it easy when you were younger. So don't rush your season. 

Important tip: Save early. It doesn't matter whether you'll save big or small amounts. Just learn how to save. Be financially wise. You'll thank me for that. 

Improve yourself

I get it. We're a product of our upbringing. We are wired to be timid and introverted. We don't mind taking the last seat or being disregarded. It hurts to not get invited to parties, to be invisible in conversations, and to be seen as frailty and weak. 

But as much as it doesn't hurt you or bring you at a disadvantage, squeeze yourself out of your comfort zone. Socialize. Gain friends. Improve yourself. You don't have to be afraid of everything. We win some, we lose some. That's how life goes. What matters is how we grow through what we go through. 

Know this for certain: Kid, I'm rooting for you. You have it in you, and I believe in the great things you can do.