A Message to the 21 Year Old Me

 Yes! I turned 26 last week and I was quite happy and sad at the same time. Well, happy that I have all the blessings that every person could wish for - a family. Sad because yes, I am getting old. Don't get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong about getting old, I just feel that I have to do a lot of things before I turned 30. Yes, because I always have a feeling that when I reached 30 years old, my life is shorter and will die anytime soon. hahahaha! Ang morbid lang but yes, that’s always what I feel and I make sure Daryl knows that. He gets mad all the time, sino ba naman ang hindi eh napaka negative ng thought but we'll get there sooner or later, una-unahan lang.

Anyway, I think this is the first time that I am doing this but I am writing a message to the 21 year old me. Yup, that's exactly 5 years ago. I just thought that I was so young and carefree at that point and comparing the before and after me? Hell, I have learned a lot, some of them are learnt the hard way just like everyone else. I am so happy that I have the mindset that I have at the moment and felt that I have matured somehow. Well, this is it what it takes in becoming a Mom, your mind have to adjust because someone is relying on you. You can never be weak or hopeless. Regardless how the situation was, you have to deliver TLC to the highest level.

I would like to recall the days that I am still young and carefree but then, I have some advices from the matured side of me. =)

Love – At this point, your head has been turned and your heart has been stolen from you (since you’re 16 years old by the way). You love wholeheartedly and that’s what I admired you the most. You tried your best to process everything that’s going on with your love life and that’s pretty cool, you just have to make sure that you won’t forget to love yourself either. You are so excited to be with the person you love the most and you started creating a dream of having your own bundle of joy together. That sure is fine, but don’t forget that building a family is a HUGE responsibility. You have to think multiple times if you’re ready to take this dream into action because surely, there’s no turning back. You can no longer say that you don’t want the life you did when it’s already there. You have plenty of time ahead of you and sure you’ll have a very good time. You have to realize that your life doesn’t end at 30 so take a step back and enjoy your dalaga life as long as you can. Let your man grow up without you on the side, he needs it from time to time so he could also learn how to become the person he wants to be. Trust is one thing you can ever give, and that he was really truthful to what he was saying. Believe me, he was.

Financially – You started working in a company a year ago that gave you a lot of kaching-kaching really. You get to eat all the food you want, you can go wherever you like because the money that you’re getting. With that, your body is always tired because you’re working on a night shift. That’s what you get with the money that you have. There are no responsibility lined to you except with a little help that you could extend to your family, I am sure budgeting your cash won’t be that hard at all, of course including savings. If there’s something that you would regret the most when you reached 26 year old is not having a cent for savings. Savings doesn’t mean muka kang pera. Living each moment of your life with what you want and can afford to buy is fulfilling. But being able to save and see your money grow over the years is very much self-motivating and inspiring for you to confidently start your life ahead when you are ready to build responsibilities. When you are old enough, you’ll realize that being financially smart is cooler than wearing that corset dress you were eyeing for.

Travel – You have been influenced by your sister to travel and it was one of the best experience you’ve ever had so far. Your first airplane ride, your first time to see the dolphins swimming in Panglao and your first time to brag about the place that your friends haven’t been to. Oh dear! It was really cool! Yes it was! Although, traveling often requires a fund that you could use on your travel. Remember, you travel because you want to take a break from waking up in the afternoon, working at night and sleeping in the morning, not to get worried about how are you going to pay for those debts you have incurred from traveling when you aren’t prepared that much. You have a lot of travel plans coming ahead so better be prepared. Take two steps back and review your finances before you agree on those travel.

Friends – You are confused as to who your real friends are. You don’t know which ones are very willing to take you during the shittiest days. You can’t remember having best friends that you could rely except your younger cousins who’s been there for you. Well you’ve saved a lot from there, relative na, best friends pa. But then, you have been separated and no longer see each other often. They would have their slumber party which you used to do and you missed it because your slumber party now is 8am in the morning and they are all ready to go to school. Oh well, nothing would change over the years. You still speak shit with each other, you go out once in a blue moon and would still have the same good laugh you had when you were younger. Sooner, you’ll regain those high school friends because you now share the same situation – having a family. So every now and then, they would invite you in Christening and wedding. Be prepared for that and don’t envy. Yours is just around the corner. You’ll gain more friends from work, try to filter those who could teach you a thing or two about life and eliminate those that would just drag you down. You have met Lara and Brian, two happy people that always make you laugh. Look at them, they look at life differently and learn from it without disregarding your own. Always be eager to learn.

Career vs School – You have always been focused with a part of your life that doesn’t do you any good. Since you have no responsibility at hand, I recommend that you try to go back to school. Don’t listen to people who says it’s hard. Success comes only when you try, fail and learn from it. You will never know what will happen if you don’t give it a shot. People who says it cant be done since the other person tried it and somehow got a really hard time doesn’t mean it will be the same for you. Don’t be afraid to try. Don’t listen to negativity and trust yourself that you can do things when you put your heart to it.


Well, these are the 5 things that I want the 21 year old me to realize. Although I can no longer go back to amend some layback decisions that I made, it was the same reason why I was the person I am today. I have my own little family and that’s all that matters to me now. I have goals only up to this year but I should get more ready in the coming months. I want to amend some that aren’t really very useful at present and make do of what I have at hand. I have yet to create a time line from this goals and wishing from high heavens a guidance that my family needs to accomplish those goals.

Again, happy 26th Birthday to me! =)