I was never the most confident bunny in the box.

Half a lifetime ago (shy a few months), my fresh-faced, nerdy self would have had the confidence to write something like this. I was never very good at talking about myself, or putting myself in the limelight. Life on the periphery, staying in my lane, desperately trying not to draw the attention of others. I would be friendly, polit, courteous, and would be funny, gregarious and a laugh with my friends and those close to me. Outside of that circle however…

Whether its now that I am more world-weary (I won’t say cynical, as I’ve always been that), and my need and willingness to care what other think people think has diminished, I couldn’t honestly say. Noticeably though, I am now able to speak more confidently, and with a level of self-assuredness that my generation-ago self would baulk at before they scurried off for cover. I am now a manager where I work, a father to a shining diamond of a daughter, and husband to a loving, caring, beautiful woman. None of the outcomes seemed likely to my single, solitude seeking self back in the day.

Confidence is still a fickle friend at times, my ability to overthink is no less heavy a burden, but I now am more self-aware (in a helpful way) and have accumulated enough life-skills to be able to cope with the trials and tribulations that are lobbed my way. Experience ultimately has bred confidence, and bestowed a knowledge and wisdom on me – life is alright, and does get better – that the 2001 model of myself would barely recognise.

Though the 2001 version of me would be pleased to know that I still suck at playing FIFA on the Playstation.