This little girl is about to head off for her first day at school. She loves to read and learn, and so it’s exciting - as well as a bit overwhelming - to be starting something new.

At school she will work hard, follow all the things that interest her, and have some brilliant teachers who bring out the best in her.

She will also learn how to be a perfect pupil.

To learn that there’s always a right answer, and that it’s important to get that answer right.

A big part of her identity will be being the clever one who always does well and rarely makes a mistake – which will come with some pros and a good few cons.

This little girl is me, and the advice I would give my younger self is that it’s OK not to be a perfect pupil.

Because the times when she will learn the most is when she tries stuff out, gets it wrong, and figures out how to do it better.

When she lets herself off the hook of being perfect and plays with what could be.

I’d tell her that the fear of making a mistake is (generally) worse than actually making it.

And that the times in life where she trusts her instincts and figures it out one step at a time will be magical (it’s how she will travel, meet her husband, switch careers and more).

I would tell her to embrace the mistakes and the fails. And to share what she learns as she goes in case it’s useful to others.

And that it will always feel exciting and a bit overwhelming to start something new, and that’s OK too 😊

What were you like when you were little?

And what advice would you give your younger self that could be useful for you to remember now too?

Wishing you all a playful and inspiring week,