There’s a new challenge you’ve probably spotted on your Facebook, Twitter or Instagram feed – the #10Year Challenge. Where users post a throw back photo of themselves from 10 years ago and another from 2019.
At first I thought, yes I’m going to get involved. I scrolled through my Facebook photo albums and found a few from 2009. Had a little chuckle with George as to how different we looked (mainly my hair colour) and enjoyed chatting about what Daddy and Mummy were doing in 2009. I definitely looked younger, a little more carefree but ultimately just as happy as I am today.
And then I saw a hashtag associated with the challenge and instantly my feelings changed. #HowHardDidAgeingHitYou. I started to look at it from a different angle. From how others might see it. In a world of comparison where so many individuals struggle with who they are vs who they want to be. What they have and where they are going. What we look like. So much comparison. Surely this won’t end well.
Is this the dark side of the challenge?
I generally look for the positive in every day and only ever saw this #10YearChallenge as an opportunity to look back at the memory book. To smile at yesteryear. To show George photos of a younger Mummy and Daddy. Nothing more, nothing less. How do you see the challenge?
I am certain that whoever and wherever this project started it was meant to be something of joy and not comparison or disappointment. Our battle scars are what make us. They show that we were wounded but not defeated. Whether it’s wrinkles from becoming ten years older, sixteen stitches from a difficult childbirth, a few extra pounds because your love for cake is ten times stronger. Aren’t we all just doing our best? We can always strive to be better but only if we choose to.
Shouldn’t we celebrate life?
And so, I thought I would approach the challenge in a different way and look at everything I have achieved in 10 years. I posted a few over on my Instagram Stories on Saturday evening and received an overwhelming response in agreeance. Here goes, my own #10YearChallenge…
- Braver – over the last ten years I have gained the strength to close the door on toxic relationships
- I married Mr H and have held together a very strong and healthy relationship. 8 years married. 14 years together.
- Became pregnant, gave birth, and to this day together we are raising a boy who makes us so proud
- I have built a career to be proud of and show my boy everyday that you can work full-time, raise a family, exercise and whilst some days it might be tough together we are stronger
- Have such great friends
- I have finally realised that ‘dieting’ is not the answer. I have found a lifestyle that allows me to eat healthily, exercise and eat cake all whilst being the best version of myself
- Renovated a house (still going)
- Have learnt that a little spontaneity can only ever be good for the soul
- Started a blog, found my voice in the form of an online journal and a passion for photography
- And lastly took a leap of faith which I hope one day proves me right for believing in myself and those who doubted me wrong
Can we go back to having fun? Seeing the good in all that we and others do. Lifting each other up. Staying quiet if we have nothing good to say. Looking for the good. See no evil, hear no evil. And whilst that’s quite a simplistic way of looking at life and the world around us, let it be said that I am happy just the way I am.
And if you’re looking to read a little more around how others are feeling about this challenge, I really enjoyed Katie Piper’s take on the challenge and Jameela Jamil’s who has a really interesting project around life positivity. I love that, life positivity.
