Netflix's The Adam Project is a film about a travelling fighter pilot, Adam Reed, who teams up with his 12-year-old self for a mission to save the future. It's one of those movies with a little bit of everything: action, heart, and humour.
It tackles all the big and little stuff — relationships, spaceships, loss and love, oh and you know, saving the world.
You'll laugh, cry, and you might even say, "whoa!"
But, what I loved about the film was how it made me reflect on being 12 years old again — how innocent and excited you are, and how it's a time in your life when you are both wholly optimistic and completely intrigued.
So, it got me thinking what words would have changed my life at 12? Well, besides the practical issues, like tampons aren't going to actually hurt, I wish someone had told me the main thing that matters is your intentions.
You will make mistakes, occasionally take the wrong road, and hurt people you love. But if your intentions are good, it all does tend to work out in the wash.
Life is always a bit messy, but it will be okay if you mean well and keep trying to do good.
Be kind to yourself, you’ll never know when you need to save the world!
However, the question was too fascinating to stop at me, so I asked some of my favourite women. What words would have changed your life at the age of 12? If you could go back, what would you say to yourself?
Donna, 60.
"I wish someone had told me that it was okay to fail, that failure is a part of life, and it's really about what we learn from the failure, and perhaps even more importantly, that failure doesn't define you.
"We all have to fail so we can really understand how to succeed. Yes, one idea might not have worked out or one particular boyfriend or one very sensible plan but that can actually be a good thing."
Paloma, 24.
"I’d just give myself a hug and a kiss! We really do just need to remember to love ourselves."
Jan, 70.
"Practice mindfulness. Life is anxiety-inducing. So take time for yourself, take deep breaths, find things that make you feel calm and don't be afraid to slow down. It’s really important to create rituals that make you feel good and keep your mental health strong.
"Self-love is a powerful tool."
Bridget, 30.
"I wish I wasn't so hard on myself. It's my nature to want everything to be perfect, but life isn't perfect. You don't need to get the perfect score on a test to be successful, and you don't need to measure your success by things like school and university. You should take a holistic approach to life and self-care, and forgive yourself when things look less than perfect.
"It sounds really simple, but I think learning how to value yourself is such an important thing. You’ll make better decisions if you are kind to yourself.
"You can always change your life and state of mind."
Indie, 32.
"Go for it! Do the thing, make the movie, write the book, kiss the guy!
"It's so easy to live from a place of fear, but you must not. You'll always live in regret otherwise, and it's much more fun to take a risk."
Elise, 29.
"Be patient, focus on your needs, and don’t settle.
"That means always asking yourself, 'are you happy?'. It sounds simple, but it’s so vital."
Doreen, 90.
"It's never too late to change your life. You can always pick yourself up again and start something new.
"If you don't like the way your life is, then you can change it. Will it be hard? Yes! Will it be worth it, absolutely! I’ve never let my age or circumstances stop me from living the life that I know I deserve."
Bella, 28.
"Find or commit to meaningful female friendships, don’t waste your time with one-sided relationships and seek the knowledge of your elders, whenever you can.
"Say all the things, while you have the chance!"
Zoe, 28.
"You’ll meet people who love you for your brain and don’t worry about the people who don’t. Because you are always worth it."
Romy, 29.
"Tell people you love them and care about them.
"You’ll never regret taking the time to tell someone you care! I think I spent way too much time worried that it would make me too vulnerable if I said how I felt."
It's interesting, isn't it?
The running theme in all the answers, although wildly different, is to find ways to enjoy life and enjoy yourself.
This is the underlying theme of The Adam Project.
Yes, it's about saving the world and forming unlikely friendships, but it's also about being unafraid to love, taking chances and always remembering that things usually get better.
Sometimes we just have to let them, and believing in yourself is the first step.
Watch The Adam Project, now streaming only on Netflix.