Advice To Your Younger Self.

Advice to My Younger Self

A little while ago, I posted a question on Facebook, wondering what people would tell their younger selves, if given the opportunity.  I was overwhelmed with the number of responses!  There was definitely a resounding theme of enjoying life and its precious gifts, but there were also some funny, retrospective lessons that were shared. 

When it came to love and relationships, I couldn’t help but laugh at Charlene’s response, “Boys really do have cooties!”  Some other comments that were quite entertaining, but also held so much truth were from Victoria, who warned, your metabolism WILL slow down, Lindsey who remembered “Don’t sneak out of the house that one time. It didn’t end well,” and Andrew who lamented, “When you wanted to buy the bitcoin, actually follow through on the purchase.”

In terms of financial and real estate lessons (of course I can’t ignore those!), there were a few that stood out.  Rebecca responded, “don’t sell your condo in Vancouver,”  Yikes, we all know how hot that market is!  Lindsay wished she had kept her starter home and turned it into a rental rather than selling, and Ian advised to purchase real estate as soon as possible.  All sage advice, but hindsight is 20/20, am I right?

The overall feeling from the responses that I received, was to live your own life, trusting you instincts, and making the decisions you wanted to make. Be your own person, not worrying about other’s opinions of you, that true happiness lies in believing in oneself and feeling comfortable in your own skin, as Jennifer said.  Arif encouraged us not to sell ourselves short, but rather to “choose the harder path; it’s worth it. “  Evelyn’s response echoed this when she commented, “ Don’t settle.”

The other theme that really stood out, and was relatable for me, was to live life to it’s fullest, appreciating the special people in our lives, and feeling grateful for each day.  It’s important to live in the moment, and not get too wrapped up in work and society.  Martina put it perfectly when she said, “Don’t be afraid to take time out.  Travel, live, and experience life.”  Jackie also had an important message to share, when she warned, “Slow down! Not everything is a race.  No one is scoring you.”  So often we get wrapped up in all of the things we NEED to do, we forget to take time to breathe.  Great advice we can all take away came from Jean, who commented, “You will have a cell phone.  Know when to turn it off.”

As you reflect on your life now, and that of your younger self, think about what is most important to you, and what you hold closest to your heart.  Know that you’re amazing, and that facing each day with confidence and a positive outlook will take you far. Love yourself, love your family, and tell them often.