CBS has started a segment on their Morning Show called “Note to Self!” They have celebrities write notes to their younger selves giving advice.
It was really interesting to see people like Oprah and Tyler Perry giving themselves such great advice. Which got me thinking… What advice would I give to my 18 year old self just graduating from High School and heading out for life on my own.
Here it goes…
-Be Yourself. Those who spend their lives trying to be impressive never are. You simply can’t be anyone other than you. If you try… You’ll fail. It will feel fake. You will not like trying to act a certain way because you thinks it’s what your supposed to do. And the old adage is true… God will not bless the fake you. He’s waiting to bless the real you he made you to be.
-Work Hard. At everything. Don’t settle with just getting by. You are developing habits right now that stay with you the rest of your life. From the school papers you have to write, to the time you get up in the morning… It all matters. Which leads me to the next point…
-Life Isn’t a Competition. Although it may seem this way… It isn’t. You don’t have to strive to be THE best at everything. But you better strive to be YOUR best at everything you do. And the sooner you’re able to celebrate the success of others and not envy it… You’ll be a much happier person.
–Play Hard. Somewhere along the road… People lose this. We think it’s all about the job. Getting ahead in life. Putting childish things behind you and focusing on your end goal! And that important, but it’s not the main thing in life. Stop! Take time to enjoy life. Do something everyday that makes you laugh. Have fun!
–Travel. There is a great big world out there… Go see it. Explore it. Get lost in it. This world has a lot to teach us. Go learn from its different cultures. Have tea in Europe. Eat Guinea Pig in South America. See a wild Lion in Africa. Learn to relax in Greece. Get out and see the world!
-Eat Well. All those late night runs to Taco Bell during college… Don’t do them. The $5 large Pizza with the butter crust… Skip it. No matter who wants you to go with them. You may not know it know… But it will come back to haunt you. Learn to eat vegetables. I know it sounds gross. But do it.
-Exercise Regularly. It’s great when you feel like it. It’s even better when you don’t feel like it but do it anyway. You’ll never regret taking the time to go outside for a run. And it’s vital to the way you’ll manage the day to day stresses of life. You will find life is much harder when you’re not exercising. This is the one area in your life that you can’t skip. Things will pop up during the day and it’s tempting to let this go. Don’t do it. You’re more important than anything else. Take care of yourself first.
-Love Hard. With no reservations. You need to open yourself up to the possibilities of love at any age. And when you find that person… Dive in head first. Give your all to them. You’ll never regret not holding back.
-Be Kind. To everyone. You never know what the people around you are going through. Sometimes a kind word will go further than you’ll ever know. And something as simple as a smile will remind people that they are not alone.
-Don’t Stress. It won’t do you any good. The sleepless nights aren’t worth it. There are things in life that you simply can’t control. And the sooner you create an “I don’t know” catagory to put things in… The better. Stress and anxiety will be the death of you if you let it. Don’t!
-Relax. You can become so addicted to your work that you forget how to relax. This is wrong! You must find moments away daily to take a step back and relax. Take a break. Enjoy the very thing you have worked so hard to achieve. When you lose the ability to relax… You’ll lose the ability to really live.
-Trust God. He will be your lifeline through it all. He is the one constant in life you can always count on. He loves you unconditionally and always has your best interest in mind. Life will get hard. Really hard. And you will not be able to make in on your own. But you were never meant to. He has promised to be a friend who sticks closer than a brother. And he is always faithful to keep his promises. But you’ll have to do your part as well. Relationships are a two way street. You’ll need to become disciplined in spending time with him. In prayer. In his word. And if you’ll keep up your end of the deal… All will be well. This doesn’t mean you won’t have life issues. You will! It just means you’ll have the strength to get through them. You’ll never be shaken!
That’s some… Not all… The advice I would give my younger self. What about you. What advice would you give you younger self knowing what you know now?
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