What would you tell a younger you?

Nomzamo Mbatha, an actress, humanitarian, television presenter and more recently, a graduate in accounting sciences, gives her input on what she has learnt so far.

If you had the chance to turn back time, what would you tell your younger self?

Would you wish that you were a lot braver? That you wouldn’t think twice about seizing every opportunity that came your way? Would you have wanted to invest more time in yourself or in relationships with others around you? Would you have told yourself to work a lot harder or would you have hoped to have more fun?

My experiences have got me thinking about this question and I wondered what opportunities I had let slip by when I was younger.

Themes of personal freedom, personal progress and forging ahead in life have inspired me to reflect on my own personal journey. I thought about what all of this actually means to me, at this current moment in my life.

With my busy schedule including different personal and professional commitments, I play many different roles where I have to manage the various expectations placed on me but when I’m at home or in my car (my own personal space), I am unapologetically me.

For me, personal freedom reinforces my gratitude towards my struggles and the obstacles that I was faced with in life. They taught me that through dedication, hard work and commitment, I could overcome it all and continue ahead.

My challenges helped me to grow and through it all, I feel stronger.

Personal progress and personal freedom means that you must be brave enough to give yourself the choice!

Don't change decision, change direction

When obstacles arise, don’t change your decision but rather change your direction to reach your goal.

I often reflect back on my life choices and decisions when I was younger and if I have to recall back on one specific challenge that I was faced with while growing up, I actually cannot place my thoughts on a specific memory.

Instead my motivation is to embrace those missed opportunities and challenges as they have led me to a greater sense of self-realisation.

The question “what are you waiting for?” completely resonates with how I live out my life as a more mature and wiser, young lady. I have to give my all and my very best in trying to accomplish my dreams. There is no option of waiting around and wasting any moment.

My younger self was a lot different. I wish I had told “the younger me” to live every moment to its fullest. After all, it is those moments that shape us into the next.

To the youth of South Africa, my advice is to live now and always remain authentic to you. Remember that disappointment, failure and the resultant tears are not a sign of weakness; it’s your soul calling for the rainbow in you to come out.