Sometimes I wonder if I’ve strayed from who I was when I was little. Certainly life has taken me on a different path. Seven year old Anna was completely confident, unapologetic, and so energetic. The confidence and unapologetic ways were stolen from me at age twelve from aggressive bullying. But like things do, they recovered, they grew back. I wouldn’t say they are stronger, but they are here.

I’ve always had this idea that we have core traits programmed into us, that our childhood selves can tell a lot about who we will become, not because we won’t change, but because some things will always come back.

Recently I’ve found myself bored and looking into hobbies. The ones that I’ve submerged myself in successfully have been things that I enjoyed as a child in some form.

I’m not saying that who you where when you were five or seven will be a clear reflection of who you are now. We will grow, but that’s always been the thing, you grow from one spot, and no matter which direction you go, you will always have that spot. Your personality is something that matures, but I don’t think it’s something that completely changes. Opinions change, personalities aren’t so easy.

I hope I can live a life were I am as forgiving, as happy, and as hopeful as I was when I was little. Perhaps maturing is knowing which of our childhood traits we should return to, and nourish in a way we can.

I’ll leave you with this last thought, a quote by Jennifer Elisabeth.

“I feel a resurgence of my 6 year old self… that little warrior, goddess of a girl reminding me of who I was when I was little, before the world got its hands on me.”