There are few absolute truths in the world. Every day the sun will rise, the waves will crash and time will go on. Usually, as we grow older, we take for granted how fast time is actually passing before us. However — as many say — hindsight is 20/20, and when looking back, it is easy to say what you would have done if you had another chance to do it all over again. Since we cannot go back and use this information for ourselves, we typically disperse it to others to tell them and our past selves how to make the most out of our lives. The following article is a collection of tips, collected through a survey I had put together, asking strangers one question: “What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?"
1. "I would tell my younger self not to be so hard on myself and to smile at myself when I look in the mirror a little more.” – age 19
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2. "You were beautiful way before anyone ever told you that you were. You don't need them. Keep your head up kid.” – age 29
3. "No one knows anything. We're all making it up as we go along.” – age 37
4. "Don't hope for the life you want. Live the life you want. Enjoy every minute. Time goes by way too fast and in the blink of an eye you'll be an adult, and who wants that.” – age 21
5. "Don't be afraid to take risks. Also, don't make any deals with your parents; you never have any leverage.” – age 19
6. "Listen to advice that is given to you. It's usually right.” – age 54
7. "Don't let a relationship interfere with your happiness. If you know it's not a healthy relationship, be strong enough to walk away. Life goes on.” – age 34
8. "Enjoy every second of having little responsibility! Your troubles now will be little in comparison to what you'll be dealing with later!” – age 30
9. "Go away to college and experience life!” – age 48
10. "Not to sweat the small stuff.” – age 44
11. "Don't change for anyone else and don't listen to the people who don't mean anything to you. Live life to the fullest because you never know when ‘today’ will be your last today." – age 16
12. "Enjoy your sleep while you can.” – age 17
13. "Always, always, make time for your family and your friends. They are the ones there for you when everything else has fallen apart. They pick you up and get you back on your feet, even when you think it'll be impossible.” – age 29
14. "Even if you've known someone for your entire life, it's OK to separate yourself from them if they constantly bring you down. Surround yourself with people that build you up.” – age 19
15. "Try new things even if you're scared.” – age 15
16. "Don't marry into a completely different culture that doesn't respect you!” – age 39
17. "Stick up for yourself. Don't let people walk all over you and try to change the person that you are.” – age 18
18. "The first step to success is believing you will succeed.” – age 20
19. "Save as much money as possible and don't sweat the small stuff.” – age 43
20. “Invest your money in good shoes, good sweaters and good lipsticks.” – age 19
21. “Don't marry that loser.” – age 40
22. “Follow your heart.” – age 65
23. “Your parents or adults in your life are actually right sometimes. Pay attention to what they have to say! Slow down. Don't wish your life away! Cherish your family; they will always have your back! Don't try to grow up so fast! Make time for fun! Cherish your years in high school. When you look back, they will be some of your best memories! Don't burn bridges as you never know who you will run into later in life! Don't worry so much and have faith that things will work out the way they are supposed to!” – age 50
24. “If you think everybody is looking at you, you’re wrong.” – age 19
25. “Believe in yourself and trust your own feelings. Create opportunities to laugh and have fun.” – age 52
26. “Live your life to the fullest and don't let anyone come in the way of your dreams. People come and go, but you will always have yourself. Therefore make sure that youare happy now and in the future!” – age 20
27. “Don't get a house with him until there is a ring on your finger.” – age 33
28. “Believe in yourself. You can do whatever you put your mind to. You are stronger than you think you are. Don't let anyone tell you different.” – age 52
29. “If your best friend ditches you for a boy you know is wrong for her, don't hate her for it. Just forgive her and be there for her when she ultimately needs you.” – age 19
30. "Always stay true to yourself because people will always come and go, but you have you forever.” – age 15
31. “Surround yourself with pizza, not negativity.” – age 19
32. “Should have got my licenses when I had the chance. Now all the good jobs that I wanted back then have doubled their income.” – age 20
33. “Always be your own person, stay strong and never grow up because acting silly keeps one young at heart!” – age 56
34. “Stop thinking you're too cool to hang out with your family. Don't view family vacations as wasted time that could have been spent with your friends back at home. Enjoy them.” – age 19
35. “Open up. Don’t seclude yourself from the rest of the world.” – age 18
36. “Work hard now. It will pay off and it is worth it!.” – age 24
37. “Put yourself first!” – age 21
38. “Have more fun and don't worry about what other people think.” – age 44
39. “When a toxic person can no longer control you, they will try to control how others see you. The misinformation will seem unfair, but stay above it, trusting that others will see the truth just like you did. Stay above the negativity and don't allow anyone to change the person that you are.” – age 19
40. “Don’t lie to police, doctors, dentists, or your grandparents. Lies to your parents are acceptable in certain circumstances.” – age 27
41. “Grades are important but they are not the world. There are other things that are important too.” – age 20
42. “Know your worth. Don't let yourself be disrespected.” – age 28
43. “21 is too young to get engaged!” – age 46
44. “Life is too short to pretend you don’t like Taylor Swift.” – age 20
43. “Travel more.” – age 41
44. “Practice more. It'll pay off later, I promise. And for god's sake, take piano lessons!” – age 19
45. “Don’t complain about breaking out when you don’t take time to wash your face.” – age 32
46. "Never go on a Tinder date until stalking him on all his social media. You'll feel crazy, but you'll be happy you did." – age 21
47. “Things will happen that you never expected and things will turn out in ways you didn't want, but trust that everything happens for a reason and that things will end up the way they are supposed to be.” – age 19
48. “Everything is going to be OK. Focus on yourself and not about other people. You will soon realize that life is a thousand times better when you truly love yourself and are comfortable in your skin.” – age 21
49. “No boy is ever worth lowering your standards or feeling less worthy for.” – age 21
50. “Education is the key to success! Concentrate in school and work hard.” – age 46
51. “Don’t fret too much about high school. Do well enough to get into a decent college, and don’t get caught up in the little things along the way.” – age 20
52. “Don't give up on college. Finish it.” – age 35
53. “Write down memories. Keep a journal. Take pictures. Document everything. You never know when good times will turn to bad, or when you might lose someone important to you. When that happens, those documentations of good times will become more precious than you will ever know.” – age 19
54. “Take advantage of the opportunities to go places and do things.” – age 38
55. “Don't take everything so seriously and enjoy moments as they're happening! Everything will all work out as it's meant to!” – age 32
56. “Enjoy your early 20s after college. Don't feel the need to rush into the real world. Have fun and travel as often as you can.” – age 25
57. “Keep exercising! Focus on being stronger for the long term.” – age 42
58. “Don't get so caught up with boys and drama. None of it really matters in the end.” – age 36
59. “Get involved and interact with lots of people.” – age 19
60. “Take your time, young lady.” – age 49
61. “Just do it. Kiss the boy, buy the shoes, eat the meal, because when it all comes down to it, it doesn't really matter.” – age 18
62. "Never get an app to give you Instagram likes, comments, or followers. Trust me, it's obvious." – age 20
63. "Don't change the song if your friend is singing their heart out in the passenger seat." – age 23
64. "Never tell anyone the name you want to name your child. They'll always try to put in their two cents about it, but at the end of the day, it's your choice." –age 45
65. "If you know someone is about to cry, never ask if they're OK in front of a lot of people. One on one is so much better." – age 19
66. "The wait for the front of the roller coaster is always worth the wait." – age 23
67. "If multiple of your friends say you should break up, you probably should." – age 16
68. "If you even kind of feel like cheating on your significant other, the relationship is over. You wouldn't feel that way about someone else if you were committed to the current person. It's time to leave. Save yourself the drama." –age 17
69. “Everyone will tell you, "be yourself," but it takes years to really know who you are enough to share that with the world. Don't worry if you aren't the same person you were in high school, or even semester to semester. Don't think of it as change, but consider it growth. Eventually you'll find yourself surrounded by positive, loving people all like yourself. And along the way don't forget to stop and smell the roses. They're sweet.” – age 21
70. “That life was so painful when I was younger. Now, at this wonderful age of 59, I make sure I play and laugh every day!” – age 59
