Don’t Be Too Hard On Yourself, This Is Your First Time Living Too

Be patient with yourself — you’re learning life as you go, just like everyone else.

We often hold ourselves to impossible standards — expecting perfection, demanding success, and berating ourselves for every misstep. It’s as if we believe we should have everything figured out by now, that we should always make the right choices, say the right words, and know exactly where we’re headed. But the truth is, none of us were given a manual on how to live.

This is your first time experiencing life, just like everyone else. You’re navigating uncharted territory, learning as you go, and making the best decisions you can with the knowledge you have. Mistakes are inevitable, uncertainty is part of the process, and growth doesn’t happen overnight.

Think of a child learning to walk — they stumble, fall, and get back up again. No one scolds them for not getting it right the first time. Instead, we cheer them on, knowing that every fall is part of their journey. So why do we treat ourselves any differently? Why do we expect to know things we’ve never been taught, to avoid mistakes we’ve never encountered, and to move through life without ever feeling lost?

You are allowed to not have all the answers. You are allowed to take your time. You are allowed to be a work in progress.

There will be days when you feel like you’re falling behind, when doubt creeps in and whispers that you’re not enough. But remind yourself: “You’ve never been here before.” This is your first time experiencing this day, this moment, this version of yourself. You are learning, growing, and evolving with each step you take.

Some days will be messy. Some decisions won’t make sense until later. Some paths will lead to dead ends, and that’s okay. Every wrong turn teaches you something. Every failure carries a lesson. Every challenge shapes you into someone stronger, wiser, and more resilient than before.

Life isn’t about perfection — it’s about progress. And progress isn’t always linear. There will be detours, pauses, and even steps backward, but none of that means you’re failing. It means you’re human.

So, be kind to yourself. Speak to yourself the way you would to someone you love. Allow yourself to rest when you need to. Celebrate your small victories. Trust that you are doing the best you can with what you have.

You are not behind. You are not failing. You are simply living — learning, growing, and figuring it all out as you go.

And that, in itself, is enough.