DOES YOUR PAST DEFINE YOU?

It all depends on you.

That's the short answer to the title of this post.

I've been thinking a lot about the past recently, this is due to the constant reminders from Facebook's 'on this day' and the 'timehop' app on my iPhone. Old pictures, status' and tweets are constantly popping up now-a-days and it's been making me ponder over the question 'Have I changed from who I used to be?'

Now, I'm only 20 years old so I don't want to come across pretentious and act as if i've 'learnt so much over the past few years' however, I do think I have learnt a little.

I used to be extremely naive and childish. I was always trying to join in with whatever crowd I was with and make people laugh.. even if it was at other peoples expense. I'm in no way ignorant or a bully. I would never be that person, but I was bitchy, and I would laugh with my 'OLD' friends about other people. Looking back now I hate the person I used to be, I might've been more popular and had more friends - but was any of it real if I was just acting?

Basically since leaving high school and having a few years alone, secluded from the influence of others, I have learnt that I am a much better person now than I ever was then. I'm smarter, more confident within myself and more positive for the future. I find myself now wanting.. even HOPING for others around me to succeed. I love how time away from 'the world' has allowed me to become a nicer, more humble and positive person.

Basically, wherever you come from, whoever you are, whatEVER you've been through- you CAN change and your past certainly does NOT define you.

The reason I mentioned 'It depends on you' is because if you're from a rough background and put yourself down a lot and listen to negative people around you telling you 'this is your life' 'this is all you'll ever amount to' then YES, they're right. You won't progress in your life if you constantly listen to the people holding you back. However, if you wake up, look at yourself and say 'I am better than this, I can over-come any hurdle and achieve success in my passion/s' then you WILL change and achieve everything you want.

Your past can only define you if you let it. Break the 'system', escape the negativity and the influence of snakes around you and remember to stay humble- always.

You can do this.

I'm telling you.

All my love,