If only I knew then what I know now

‘If only I knew then what I know now’.

Remember that old chestnut?
 
I don’t care how successful you've been, or how much you think you've got your life dialled in - chances are that looking back on your younger years there is a whole host of wrong turns and missteps, lost opportunities and just plain old rebelliousness that you wish you could have avoided.
 
Or taken a right turn instead of a left. 
 
Navigating those high school years is complex enough at the best of times - but imagine if you're trying to contend not just with the swirling rapids of teenage years but that the world around you, the very support network we may have taken for granted - is also stuck in 'hard mode' 
 
The fall backs that many of us could retreat to simply don’t exist for everyone. When the path forward is obscured but the path to retreat is equally mired in shitty choices - where do you go?
 
Now imagine for a moment that someone sat down next to you.
 
And listened.
 
And didn’t judge.
 
Or correct or tell you what to do - because that's on you.
 
But imagine if they helped clear some of the fog, showed you some options that were hidden - because life didn't show them to you, or you didn’t think they existed. Or that you deserved them. 
 
What difference would it have made to your life if someone had taken that time to extend a hand - simply to help steady the ship, give you a chance to breath and start to navigate a path forward. 
 
What would that have done?
 
5x your opportunities ?
10x ?
 
What poor choices that you thought were inevitable would it have helped avoid?
 
"What would you tell your younger self if you could go back?'
 
Who cares. 
 
Because you can’t go back.
 
We made the choices we did, we said what we said. We ignored doors and squandered opportunity.
 
So, we can’t go back.
 
But - what we can do - is step into someone’s 'right now'
 
Young people who are in those moments - right now.
 
Imagine the impact you could have.
 
Now think about how that would make you feel. 
 
You don’t have to be Tony Robbins or David Goggins.
 
You do have to be a real human - faults and all. The more scars and scrapes the better.
 
You simply have to be present, listen and maybe offer some guidance, point out some doors, highlight some traps. 
 
You might just steady the wheel - or you might save a life.
 
We can't go back, but we can help someone else move forward.
 
And I guarantee - you'll both Stand Tall.


Standing Tall Warrnambool is always looking for mentors – people of all walks and talks to play a role in helping young people navigate the tides when they need it most.

It takes less time than you think but will deliver more than you can imagine.

If you’re interested – you can contact us here via DM or email us at admin@standingtalliw.com.au

By- Paul Watkins