This will sound like a big cliché but without a doubt the best version of me, is the one right now; in my first 37 years of adolescence. This last one is a joke.
Well yes, I have learned to love and accept myself, which is the most important thing we can do, not only for ourselves, but also for all those around us. We all make mistakes and it's okay to make mistakes, it's something I constantly tell my students however; it was something that I was unable to internalize, previously.
I was very hard on myself but I have learned to look a little further than what I wanted to show, that hard characteristic came from the comparison. Both in my personal and work life I meet wonderful and intelligent people whom I admire and respect, but I ended up comparing myself with them, without seeing that they also had their ups and downs in different aspects. I have also learned that it is necessary to set limits because the one who endures or resists the most does not always win.
Now with all this I must also accept or admit that the worst version of me was about 13 years ago because immaturity leads us to believe that we can handle everything, that the world is ours. At that time when I took the initial photo I do not deny that I also had nice aspects of my personality such as patience but the ego dominated me: if I was interested in you as a person well, but if there was nothing appealing to me, you were discarded; something that seems to me currently quite frivolous because we can learn a lot from others, even from people with bad senses because in the background there will always be a reason why they are or behave that way.
I have grown a lot as a person and I think I owe this to being grateful for everything and enjoying the now.
Images are my own, taken by my Samsung phone.
Translated from Spanish to English by DeppL (free version).
It is wonderful to transform our perspectives and embrace a more compassionate and authentic version of ourselves. Learning to love ourselves, accepting our mistakes, and setting healthy boundaries are profound lessons that few internalize. Kudos to you for that.
Also, how fortunate your students are to have someone like you! You teach them your subjects and show them by example the importance of self-understanding and humility.
I have loved visiting your blog. From here, almost touching the sky and shaking hands with God, I send you my best regards.
Thank you very much @germanandradeg.
How beautiful your words. Teaching is a beautiful job where we sow seeds that will later bear fruit, some in the short term and others in the long term.
I'm glad you visit my blog 🤗