If I could talk to my 25-year-old self, I wouldn’t lecture. Your head was already a mess of ambitions, anxiety, and the desire to please everyone and prove you were worth something. I’d just sit down beside you and say a few things.
No grand speeches.
Just the stuff that actually worked.
1. You don’t have to be “the smart one.”
Seriously. No one hands out medals for complex thoughts or an impeccable style. It’s much more important to be clear. Simplicity is a sign of maturity, not of being simple.
2. Work on your own things.
Side projects aren’t a whim or a waste of time. They are your voice, your sanctuary, your training ground. Through them, you’ll figure out who you are, what you want, and where your real strengths are. Even if nobody else likes them.
3. Immigration isn’t an adventure; it’s a transformation.
It’s not the new streets that will tire you out, but the feeling of being 12 again. Language, status, context—everything gets reset. But from this comes the freedom to be who you want to be, not just who you happened to become.
4. Don’t be afraid of being ordinary.
You don’t have to be the best designer, programmer, or startup founder. Your value isn’t in your achievements. It’s in how you say hello, how you listen, and how you stay true to yourself, even when you’re scared.
5. People don’t remember what you said; they remember how you made them feel.
Stop trying to sound clever. It’s much more important to be warm, honest, and present. That’s how you build connections. That’s what makes them last.
6. Go slowly, but go every day.
You don’t lose by not doing enough; you lose by stopping altogether. It’s better to work for half an hour every day for 100 days than to pull one perfect 10-hour session and then burn out for six months.
7. You have the right to be yourself.
You don’t need everyone to like you. Don’t be afraid of being abandoned for being inconvenient or “difficult.” Your strength is in the quiet confidence that you’re okay, just as you are. Even when you have no idea where you’re going.
If you’re 25, just hang in there. It’s not the best age, like people say. But it’s an honest one. It’s the start of a journey where the goal isn’t to have all the answers, but to not lose yourself along the way.
And no matter what,
you’ve got this.