What Your 5-Year-Old Self Would Think of Your Current Life Choices

If your five-year-old self could visit you now, would she think you’re crushing it—or get bored halfway through your calendar app?

Before the job titles, adult friendships, and meal prep Sundays, there was a version of you who thought 'growing up' meant total freedom. So… are you actually living the dream?

The Pint-Sized Life Coach You Forgot You Had

Imagine bringing your 5-year-old self to work. Or letting them walk through your apartment. They’d ask why you don’t have more glitter. Why your fridge doesn’t have more popsicles. Why you haven’t taken a nap today.

They wouldn't understand deadlines, but they’d definitely notice how often you’re on your phone instead of playing outside. That version of you—unfiltered, idealistic, peanut-butter-smeared—still lives in there somewhere. And she has notes.

Dreams Then vs. Choices Now

At five, your dream job probably involved dinosaurs, rocket ships, or opening a bakery for dogs. You thought success meant having a cool backpack and knowing how to swim.

Now? Success comes with taxes, existential dread, and group chats you’re afraid to leave. Somewhere along the way, practicality replaced wonder. But maybe it doesn’t have to be a full trade-off.

What 5-Year-Old You Might Actually Approve Of

Sure, your current job isn’t what you drew in crayon. But maybe you kept some magic. Maybe you still love stickers. Maybe you still dance in the kitchen when no one’s watching.

Your younger self might be proud of how kind you’ve become. How much braver you are now than you realize. She’d be amazed that you can drive a car and buy your own cereal. You’re literally living the dream—just not the one you planned.

And What They’d Be Confused (or Disappointed) By

Your five-year-old self would be confused by how often you say 'I’m fine' when you’re not. They wouldn’t get why you stopped drawing. Or why you need a calendar to hang out with friends.

They’d probably cry if they saw how hard you are on yourself. Or how long you wait to eat lunch. Or how rarely you let yourself be silly for no reason. The real tragedy isn’t failure—it’s forgetting how to wonder.

Bridging the Gap: Grown-Up Life with a Kid Brain Bonus

You don’t need to become a child again—but inviting that voice back into your choices might help.

Let yourself daydream without monetizing it. Take a walk with no destination. Draw badly. Laugh loudly. Eat something just because it looks fun. These aren’t regressions—they’re reminders.

Your five-year-old self wasn’t wrong about what mattered. They just didn’t have student loans yet.