It’s an emotional roller coaster ride, this whole growing up thing. It can be painful, exciting, and mysterious. We don’t know what’s going to happen. The future is unknown and unpredictable.
I think it’s safe to say, we could all give a piece of advice to our younger self. Whether it’s to stay away from that guy or to focus on your grades more, we all have something to share with someone who is younger than us, or maybe just a peer going through a tough time.
I spoke with 10 people who shared advice they would like to give to you that they wish they knew when they were younger.
1. “Do everything your dentist says when you are a kid. Brush a couple times a day. Floss. It may suck to do it, but when you’re 30 and NOT battling gingivitis by going for cleanings every other month you’ll thank your lucky stars you did.” – Dustin, 31, Ontario, Canada
2. “Trust and follow your gut.” – Isabelle, 24, British Columbia, Canada
3. “Start saving for your retirement in your early 20s.” – Lisa, 50s, Ontario, Canada
4. “If you can’t stop them, speak up. Don’t let them bully you.” – Hazel, 24, British Columbia, Canada
5. “The struggles you faced in high school may have seemed like a huge deal then, but in the grand scheme of things, they won’t even be remembered in 5 years.” – Morgan, 24, Ontario, Canada
6. “Do not waste your time stressing over your future plans, it will never go your way and that’s absolutely okay because life works like the snakes and ladder game. Our passion and goals are the number of steps you get every time you roll the dice. It keeps you moving forward, and sooner or later you’re able to figure out the way. Snakeheads and ladders are the trapdoors that make you fall through and back to where you were. These are the times when you are lost and confused with your life. But, through that trapdoor, you’re given another chance to develop a new life path.” – Jane, 22, Malaysia
7. “Don’t sweat the small stuff. High school seems like it will never end, and people’s opinions will always matter. They don’t, and you recreate your dream and self every single day.” – Emily, 22, Ontario, Canada
8. “Find yourself before you let everyone define who they think you are.” – Anonymous, 40s, Ontario, Canada
9. “Remember that friends/family are the most important people in your life, so don’t push them away for people that won’t matter in a year or two.” – Megan, 22, Ontario, Canada
10. “Don’t worry about what people think of you because high school is a blink and it’s over.” – Susan, 50s, Ontario, Canada
I think it’s important to remember that events happen so we can grow and learn from it. But, it’s also nice to hear advice, and also see that other people may have felt the same way you do now.
If you could rewind time, what advice would you give yourself?
Feature image via Skitterphoto on Pexels
