Lightbulb moments, why is it that they take their sweet time to hit you? Lately, I have found myself saying “If I only knew then, what I know now….” about big areas of my life. Not that things turned out horribly wrong for me, I just wish I could have reached my current life a few years earlier 
Below are a few of my lightbulb moments.
Self Discovery
“If I only knew then, what I know now…” I would have had more confidence in all aspects of my life from my teen years to college years. I would have walked away from bad situations/relationships faster. I would have been more adventurous.
Romantic relationships
“If I only knew then, what I know now…” I may not be single today. I may not have participated in throw away relationships; I may not have focused on education and career above all else; I may have found a way to stay connected with the ”good” men that came into my life, instead of letting them walk out without a second thought.
Weight
“If I only knew then, what I know now….” I would not have let myself get to my current weight. I would have told my high school self that what I thought was fat, was actually my ideal weight.
Thanks to life’s trials and tribulations and Oprah’s Life Class, I now feel that I finally know myself, what I want, what I will tolerate/what I won’t….basically I now know what I want out of life. It’s an amazing feeling…one that I wish I could have experienced years earlier. Again, not because I’m not happy with the way my life turned out, but because now that I know myself and want to take time to “stop and smell the roses,” it seems time is rushing by and I find myself wishing I had more time to enjoy every aspect of my life.
Although I don’t have any kids, I now realize why parents are always handing out advice to us none receptive teens/young adults….they are also going through the same realizations I’m just now getting to and want their kids to know now, what they didn’t know then. I guess that’s the vicious cycle knowledge goes through. It’s a right of passage that is earned through struggle, heartache and age. It explains why history always repeats itself.
If you’re tired of of not getting struck by lightbulb moments, there’s nothing like the present. Use Oprah’s Life Class Lesson #25 as your starting point - “The only courage you ever need is the courage to fulfill the dreams of your own life.”
What lightbulb moments have you had recently? Have they changed the way you live and/or view your life?
