My family and I did some shopping today to find some things for the fall and winter weather that is slowly approaching. Within the midst of jeans and shirts and youth pastor button-ups, I never expected to leave a store reviewing my life. It was all because of a banner hanging on the wall of an Aeropostale store. It read, “Are    You    Who    You    Were    A    Year    Ago?” Hmph. Wow. It is not everyday that you get asked that. Am I better or worse? Happier? Even funnier? It is an interesting campaign on their part, and I assume it is a promotion for them to try to rebrand themselves. The shirts and organization were a little different, and so were the models. If a store can change in a year, have I?

Have you ever looked back to see the things you’ve posted online in the past? There are numerous apps for it and even a few websites that can pull up your history for you. I know a few people who use TimeHop on Facebook, and then you can use a tool on Twitter to see your very first tweet. I personally use EveryDayMe, a timeline journal. Although I have since deleted the app, they still graciously send me emails to show me tweets or Facebook posts that I have made over the years.

Do you ever look at old pictures and question why the picture exists? It is exactly like that but in the form of words.

It is absolutely terrible.

I see dumb jokes, requests for games, questions about homework assignments, and the thousand times that I posted “I am tired” in 2010. Most of the updates I see make me sigh, but every once in a while, I see one that makes me proud. It is nice and makes it worth it!

Other than those times, these updates answer my question with: “Yes, there is absolutely no way that you CAN’T be better than you were a year ago.”

It is honestly quite funny to me, but in a serious note, how have things changed?

Are you closer to God?

Are you rebranded to a new you or someone else?

Have you quit the toxic things in your life?

Are you still doing the positive things in your life?

Who do you surround yourself?

What have you learned?

Ask yourselves these questions and reflect on them for a bit. Take your time and answer them honestly. It might be tempting to try to convince yourself that you have all of the “right” answers. There are no right answers, only honest ones. After that, you can think about what to change to make the answers what you think would be the “right” ones.

I am who I was a year ago. I am happier, more spiritual and more mature, but I am still the original me.

Would the you from last year be proud of the you today?