I recently said that I do everything having only 2 persons in mind – my 8-years-old self and my 80-years old self.

Since my current 32-years-old self has been quite tested lately, I figured that what better place than my old blog to write down a few rules from my previous and future versions?

🧒 Rules from 8-year-old Elena

If someone leaves, I don’t chase.
I don’t run after people. I go where my hand is held.

I don’t fight to be loved.
If I have to cry, explain, or beg, it’s not a good game.

When I say “I care,” it’s not a mistake.
If that scares someone, it’s not my fault.

I don’t stay where I feel small.
If I feel confused, guilty, or “too much/little,” I leave.

I don’t punish myself for being kind.
My kindness is not something to be corrected.

I choose the people who stay.
The rest are free to leave without explanations.

🧓 Rules from 80-year-old Elena

Dignity beats longing.
Longing fades. What you tolerated poorly stays.

I don’t build with indecisive people.
Ambivalence doesn’t turn into stability over time.

I don’t invest where there is no clear reciprocity.
Real interest shows in actions, not in “maybe.”

I don’t negotiate my boundaries for connection.
What starts with self-abandonment ends with self-loss.

I don’t confuse coming back with change.
Returning without accountability is just repeating the pain.

I choose myself without explanations.
Life is too short to live it halfway.