What would you tell your younger self if you could go back in time?

I just wrote a fun blog about the lessons I would try and tell myself if I could turn back the hands of time. (http://familyonbikes.org/blog/2011/11/50-lessons-i-wish-i-had-learned-earlier/) I thought this could be a fun one for the group - if you could go back to an earlier time, what would you tell your (much younger) self?

 

I'd tell myself to RELAX, the kids are going to be fine. :lol: Just enjoy them.

My daughter was a little (okay, a lot) weird when she was very small, and my son was always grumpy. I worried a lot, but I really didn't need to.

Since I can't pass the lesson on to my younger self, I've done my best to pass it on to other mums with kids like mine. One little girl was happily singing made up songs (loudly) to herself on the bus while her mum tried to shush her. So I leaned over the seat and told her about my teenaged daughter, and how she still makes up her own music. The mum looked like she wanted to cry. I know from experience, it's so nice to hear from people that your child doesn't annoy everyone.

 

I would tell myself that I should not worry ~ I will grow to have a beautiful family, 2 wonderful children, a Godly husband that loves me more than words can express. Trust in God and everything will be fine.

 

stay awake in school.

 

I would tell myself to not be a perfectionist.

On that note this is what I tell people now, "I am trying to perfect the art of being a non-perfectionist."

I have even come to the place where sometimes I enjoy the imperfect things more than the perfect ones. An example- quilt I quilted myself. I turned and turned and turned that quilt to do the quilting. Well, doing that gave the front some slight bumps. I think of it as texture.

Also, I would tell myself not to worry about what people think of you. Most the time they are worried too, so you cancel each other out. Now, go and meet people and get to know them and realize that most people aren't that scary. I do that now, and it is wonderful.

 

Went through a lot of stuff in life that I could have avoided in I hadnt been so darn afraid of "hurting people's feelings"...so yeah, I'd go back and tell myself to take better care of my own feelings once in a while!!

Also, would go back to the day when I got my darling cat, and give my younger teen self a good smack, and tell her to NOT spoil the cat. Trust me, that creature was a nightmare, thanks to me

 

Brush and floss only the teeth you want to keep. LOL

OH...and I would have convinced my 25 year old self that running away to Elkton MD to get married would've been so much better than waiting the 11 months to marry my best friend. Looking back now, wish I hadn't wasted those 11 months without being married to him.

 

I would tell myself that someday I am going to be old. Take better care of that body, it's gotta last you a while. Also I'd remind myself that all the little drama moments are of absolutely no consequence in the long run, so let it go.

 

"Don't be too critical." Pretty much sums up the way I've caused the most damage to myself and others.

 

These are great lessons! I think I can relate to each and every one! My favorite from my list is: There is nothing to hold you back but you. Gosh -that's so true!

 

Learn to exercise while I was young. Then it wouldn't feel like so much of a chore now!

 

I would tell myself you are beautiful and deserve the best in life. You don't need a boyfriend and you don't need to have sex to feel loved. You don't need to drink because you are embarrassed and can't deal with real emotions. You can wait for someone that wants to give to you instead of take from you.

that Jesus loves you and your deserve the very best of everything never take less or let someone treat you as less

 

I would tell my teenage self to start taking things a little more seriously, treasure your friends, stop doing things you know are stupid, treat the boyfriend better, don't get a credit card, stay home more, keep fit, don't over-react about things, be the cool & quiet type, and think before you act.

 

I would tell younger me to take better care of herself. Exercise more and eat waaaay less sugar. I would also tell her to stay away from a certain boy. I would tell her that she is beautiful and worthy of true friendship. I would tell her to wait a little longer for some things and not to rush growing up.

 

I would tell myself to keep better track of my health. I have high blood pressure, discovered during my pregnancy when I was 18 years old, but it's chronic and I've been on meds ever since. If I'd known it was there (it's hereditary and we saw the first signs of it when i was 12 years old!!) I could have had it taken care of and not gained 70lbs during that first pregnancy.


Would I tell myself things to avoid that first pregnancy? I'd be tempted to do so. There's a lot I wish I hadn't done. But, I love my son with all my heart and I wouldn't want to do anything to put in danger him not being here.

So I'd probably just warn myself away from some of that in general. Encourage myself to become a little more educated. Encourage myself to stay in the Word, and know that whatever happens - which for me in high school was a LOT that had nothing to do with my own actions - that it WILL be ok and God IS on my side.


And really encourage myself to look into graduating high school early, and sticking with my college. If I'd gotten out of high school just a year early, so much in my life would be different, and I'd likely have finished college. And I'd tell myself that music education is a great major, but I should consider an English or primary education minor. And practice, practice, practice! :lol:

 

Sorry I've been quiet - I worked a craft fair this weekend so was pretty busy! This lessons learned post has now gone viral - nearly 250,000 views over the weekend! I've never seen anything like this before. Bizarre to say the least.

 

I would tell myself to do more homework, get better grades, and think more college bound.
There are many other things I'd tell myself but this is a good start.

 

I would tell myself learn how to laugh and smile. Learn how to have fun and to be happy.

 

1) I would tell myself that there's more to life than social time.
2) That mom knew what she was talking about when she said that school work was important too (I would have applied myself and had universities screaming for me)
3) To live a healthy lifestyle from the start and not to make the changes laetr in life that should have been made earlier (though, I never dreamed I would put this much weight on since coming out of high school... most of it in the past couple years)
4) To not sweat the small stuff... everything happens for a reason, would have given it over to God a lot sooner had I known then what I know now

 

1. The world is bigger than the halls of high school.

2. Spend less time bemoaning my reality and more time improving it. Don't live life as a victim.

3. Don't be afraid of pain. It can actually make you smarter. And kinder.

4. Get the tattoo on your hip AFTER pregnancies. It would look a lot more like the dagger it once was and a lot less like the spatula it now is.