Message from your past

Don't you wish you had a video tape of yourself at different ages where you had a little conversation about what you were doing and thinking, what you wanted to do with your life, your ambitions and what you thought you might be like when you were older?

These days more people are recording themselves privately than ever before in history. Its the days of vlogs and podcasts and YouTube and Instagram.  We seem to have a visual record of every little thing we do (do I really need to take a photo of the pretty pattern on my latte and show 650 acquaintances?)

It makes me wonder how many people are actually taping themselves saying things that could be worth keeping for the rest of their lives.

(me as a kid - notice Mum's cool crochet vest and paisley top with her pink trousers? 70's fashion was wicked, eh?)

For example, what would I have had said to my older self when I was 8, 10, 12 or 14?  Imagine seeing your teenage self, full of that youthful arrogance and confidence (yeah, right), letting the 47 year old me know that no matter what, I would not be working with computers as I believed they would put too many people out of work.  And that while I was completing my Journalism Degree I would be travelling around the world, having mad affairs everywhere so that eventually I would be able to write the best selling novel of the 21st century!

Then when I was in my 20's I would have recorded a short message where I hoped I eventually escaped from the non-career of being a secretary, that hoped I was either now a blissful earth mother or a very happy divorcee with an exciting career who travelled to places like Africa and Nepal and wrote a best selling novel.

Now that I think about it, maybe it was better I didn't make those tapes throughout my life.  Who's to say it would have changed the course of my life, or whether it was all supposed to fall this way.  I don't think it would have been a good idea to take advice from a dreamy, unrealistic hormonal teenager or from a young woman who spent her youth with the wrong man, binge drinking and dancing by herself.

And of course how on earth would I have played a floppy disk or video tape nowadays?

What kind of video tape would your younger self made?

*Joining up with Essentially Jess and IBOT*

**Don't forget to grab a chance at 12 months free private health insurance through registering with 1stAvailable.com.au**