As we entered the new year, one of the trends that caught my attention was the resurgence of the ten year challenge on social media. This got me thinking about who I was ten years ago and what I would tell that version of myself if I had the chance.
For context, the woman that I was then was a 24 year old young lady who had graduated from university just over three years before. I still lived with my mum and grandma in North London but, with the help of a 9-5 as a speech and language therapist, I finally managed to save enough money for a shared ownership property. My goal was to move out by the end of the year – preferably by my 25th birthday in October – to somewhere in North West London so that I can be closer to work and my “little sister”, or best friend.
Although hungry for greater independence, I loved my life for the most part. My friends were my everything and weekends were filled with cocktails over lunch or dinner, concerts and raves. I had recently stopped wearing weaves and wore more natural hairstyles. I also started to experiment with makeup and fashion – all of which marked the beginning of my journey of self-acceptance and love (something that had always been sparse as a younger adult).