If you could give advice to your younger self.....

[zoe'n'misskitty]

I don't think I'd tell myself not to do anything, but I would give some "helpful hints."
Pick up a guitar...in 10 years, you'll wish you had.
Don't confuse platonic feelings for romantic ones.
Loosen up.
And most of all, life WILL get better.

Other than that, I wouldn't tell myself not to do anything or go anywhere and stuff like that...otherwise my life might have turned out different, and I am very happy now.

 

[krazy kat2]

I would have told myself not to get married, either time, and not to wait 7 years to have sense enough to take my s/o of 20 years seriously when he said we would end up together. I would have told myself to go back to school at 18 instead of 44. I could save myself so many headaches!

 

[me-n-my guys]

Good topic!
There are a few of my former selves I'd like to talk to.
First, there was this girl who always wanted to terrorize me when we were little. it started in 4th grade, then in Jr high, & she STILL wanted to fight me in high school! I used to be afraid of her. I should have fought her & probably would have won-I was athletic & very fast. I'd go back & teach that little girl(me)how to fight back & get-r-done.
I would have taken school more seriously. I'd be making ALOT more money.
And for my 20s & earlier 30s, I wouldn't have put up with so much CRAP from men as a single, attractive girl. The "me" now would have to say,"Life is too short for this" & walk away.

 

[mferr84]

Dont get married at 18!!!

And... my parents really did know what they are talking about.

 

[nebula11]

I would tell myself not to......jump into bed with the losers i did...I would let myself know that "The One" was out there....And that as low as my self esteem was now, waiting for him will be well worth it and he will make me feel better about myself, and make me happier then i could ever imagine. Yaaay John

 

[sunnicat]

Oh my...there are a lot of things I could say...

I could say, move to Florida and go to that college, but then I wouldn't have met the people I've met that have so enriched my life.
I could say, don't get married so young, he's not the only one who will ask...but then I wouldn't have my two beautiful sons.
I could say, get out of that marriage sooner, but then I wouldn't have met Joe.
I could say, be more careful about the medications being taken, but then I wouldn't have my 3 year old son, Braeden.

No matter how many mistakes I may have made, they all make me who I am today. I think I'll take my life, just as it is.

 

[nebula11]

Originally Posted by sunnicat

Oh my...there are a lot of things I could say...

I could say, move to Florida and go to that college, but then I wouldn't have met the people I've met that have so enriched my life.
I could say, don't get married so young, he's not the only one who will ask...but then I wouldn't have my two beautiful sons.
I could say, get out of that marriage sooner, but then I wouldn't have met Joe.
I could say, be more careful about the medications being taken, but then I wouldn't have my 3 year old son, Braeden.

No matter how many mistakes I may have made, they all make me who I am today. I think I'll take my life, just as it is.

Thats beautiful

 

[valanhb]

I would tell myself to change colleges, don't try to be a teacher, and go with the Psychology that I was so interested in. One can always read good literature and write without having an English major.

I would also tell myself not to listen to ANYONE who tries to tell me how to manage MY money! I was so on the right track...but then...well, bankrupcy was the result which I'm still recovering from.

 

[okeefecl]

The life I have right now is based on the good choices and bad choices I've made. Since I'm happy with things now, I wouldn't have too much to say to my 16 year old self, except don't start smoking.

 

[evnshawn]

Hmm. Several things.

I had a pretty crappy upbringing and was depressed a lot, though looking back I can see that that was actually situational depression, not anything to do with my brain chemistry. I used to tell myself that my horrid home life wouldn't last forever, that life would get better. So I would say, "Hey, kid, guess what? You're right. It will get better, lots better."

I'd tell myself to take school more seriously and to really work on controlling my slobby tendencies.

I'd tell myself that in some ways I am too hard on myself, secretly suspecting myself to be deficient in many areas that I am not, but that in some ways I am too easy on myself, and that I have issues I need to work on, and that there is more involved in being a "good person" than simply not doing anything bad. Specifically, just because I am easygoing and do not get upset easily does not give me the right to expect that same attitude from other people regarding my behavior.

I'd tell myself that the people I thought were my friends really weren't—except for Shawn, of course—and that many other more worthwhile people would be there for me if I'd just let them.

I'd tell myself to be brave, to take risks, that I could rely on people more than I thought, that I could rely on myself more than I thought.

I'd tell myself to try harder to make a difference in my little sister's life, to not let the closeness fade just because we have completely different personalities. I'm still trying to build that back up.

I could tell myself to hang on to that friend I'd met a few years back at 14, that he would mean more to me than anyone, but I did that anyway—and married him at 27.

Oh, and I'd say: don't lay out in the sun; wear sunscreen every single day. In 18 years (dear Lord, has it been that long?) you will already see lines on your face and be worrying about strange moles.

And buy Wal-Mart stock.

 

[dawnofsierra]

Originally Posted by evnshawn

And buy Wal-Mart stock.

 

[lionessrampant]

I'd probably tell myself to take things a little less seriously. I've always had a tendency to be kinda uptight, and it seemed especially bad early in high school as compared to now.

I'm sure when I'm 30, I'll want to come back and tell my 20 year old self the same thing.

Also, I'd kick my younger version's butt into practicing harder THEN as opposed to making up for lost time NOW. I could have gone to a conservatory if I had worked harder then!

But, everything happens for a reason, I guess. Otherwise, why would it happen??

 

[KittenKrazy]

The one thing I'd tell myself? When you meet a certain so and so.....wait awhile....don't get married yet......

 

[flisssweetpea]

Originally Posted by Kittythecat

Wow, what a great question. I would have to say that I would tell myself that under no circumstances would I marry a man who had been married before with kids. It's one of the hardest things that I have done and I find myself asking "what have I gotten myself into?" a lot. I love my husand dearly and our daughter that we had together but it's so hard dealing with an ex and step kids. At least half of our arguments are about his ex or how to deal with the step kids or child support or something. I stress out everytime that it is our weekend to have the boys and when we drop them off I find myself giving out a big sigh of relief. They are very well behaved kids and it's hard living with two different families but it's hard trying to raise kids by someone else's rules. The sad part is that I know that it doesn't get any easier.

Oh been there done that and know how hard it is - hugs to you!!! But.....it does get better

. Step-children, just like biological children have a habit of growing up. Exs get a life of their own where it seems they have something else to do instead of indulging in the sport of winding up your partner as much as possible (I realise this looks the same from both sides of the fence

).

Despite some hard times with my step-son (a lot of which was probably because he was going through those terrible teen years anyway!) we get on really really well now. Even though when he was much younger I could never see that it would be this way. Things will get better

 

[flisssweetpea]

As for what I would tell myself - not a lot really. The good and bad things added up to make me who and what I am now and I'm extremely happy with the life I've got.

I grew as a person with the people who matter most to me and that is just the way I want it to be