11/22/2025
My reflections from this week had me searching for a photo of younger me and, in finding this photo from 20 years ago, I remembered how, my goodness, I was such a mess on the inside. For a long time, whenever I thought about younger me, it was easy to be critical and scold myself for the decisions I made, the things I did or didn’t do, and the ways I behaved. Can you relate?
It’s incredibly common to look back at a younger version of ourselves and feel anger, regret, frustration, or embarrassment. But here’s the truth: We can’t use the wisdom we’ve gained through years of living to judge the version of us who didn’t have it yet. That younger self was doing the best they could with what they knew. That younger Lisa, just like all of you, deserves to be looked at with love and understanding.
Learning to replace judgment with compassion is where healing takes place. 💛