We all wish we could tell our younger selves how our lives would turn out. We would divulge some of our regrets and give ourselves some advice on how to persevere in this crazy world. Anything to try and make things a bit easier for the past version of ourselves. This is one of the core tenets of the Mac Miller classic “2009”, trying to grapple with the passage of time and wishing we could have some of it back.However, there’s also peace in accepting the past and the fact that we can’t go back. Instead, we try to make the best of the hand we have. In a 2018 conversation with journalist Craig Jenkins for Vulture, Mac Miller grappled with this idea of faith and trusting the moment. He admitted that he often put so much pressure on himself that it became debilitating. Consequently, if he could tell his younger self something, it would be to realize that everything is going to move forward anyway. The rough patches will be just another chapter in the book.“I would just tell myself to worry a little less and not hold onto—don’t create all of this weight for things. Everything has so much weight, but it’s all just chapters. It’s all just pieces of the story. There’s gonna be a next part. It’s not a big deal. It’s not. That’s the thing. Trust. The more I trust in who I am as a human being, the more I’m like, ‘Okay, this will all kind of figure itself out.’ As long as I do what feels natural,” Mac Miller told the outlet.Mac Miller Gives Candid Advice on What He would Tell his Younger SelfElsewhere in the conversation, the late Pittsburgh rapper mused about life without hip-hop. What would everything look like if he took a 9-5? However, admittedly, he wouldn’t even look twice at that life. In fact, he was quite enticed by the ideas of mistakes and knowing how to embrace bad decisions.“We actually joke all the time, we’ll take a moment where we’ll be like, ‘Man, life would be so simple if I would’ve just had a job somewhere.’ You know, like been at one place and then come home. And there’s that moment of peacefulness, when you think about it. But I would never actually do that. I’m also very attracted to my own demons,” Mac Miller said. Then, Miller recalled how he felt both sides of the emotional spectrum. Ultimately, it was a matter of finding the right balance to have a true understanding of life and how to react. “But I think that the beauty is in being able to be in both places. I wouldn’t want a life that’s completely—I’ve had a life that was completely carefree,” Mac Miller explained.“The very beginning of my career was completely carefree. I felt invincible, I felt … just, zero sadness. You know? For a moment. And then I’ve had all sadness, just all darkness. But I think being in a place where you can spend time in both and gain perspective on that other side, makes you appreciate what each brings to the table.”The Rapper Died a Day After This Interview Was First Published Craig Jenkins’ original profile on Mac Miller for Vulture was originally published on September 6, 2018, one day before the rapper was found in his Studio City home. Paramedics pronounced Miller dead at the scene. The Los Angeles County Coroner’s office determined his cause of death to be mixed drug toxicity with fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol in his system. He was 26 years old. A profile coming out in the New York Magazine was just one of many irons in the fire Miller had going at the time of his death. He was scheduled to shoot a music video the day he was found. His tour was to kick off the following month. Instead, he was gone in an instant, leaving behind a legacy of incredible music—and the crucial reminder to worry less and try not to carry undue weight on our hearts and minds. The post Mac Miller Reflected on What He’d Tell His Younger Self in 2018 Interview Published the Day Before His Death appeared first on VICE.