If I Could, This is What I Would Tell You

A good, bad and to-do list of tips from my 42-year-old self to my 20-year-old self

For some reason, I felt compelled to create these lists. If I had the chance, there are so many things I’d tell my 20-year-old self. She did some pretty awesome stuff!

But like most of us, she also did some pretty dumb shit too. I guess that’s what the twenties are for.

Yet, although I want to praise her for the good things, there are days I wish I could have stopped her from the bad and given her a list of how to be a better person.

These lists are my way of telling her, because I know she’s still hanging around in my mind.

The good list and the ones to continue

1. Traveling. Yes, never stop doing this!
2. Share your opinion, but be nicer about it.
3. Live your life like you have been, free from constraints.
4. Always live outside the norm.
5. Keep connecting.
6. Eating food in new places.
7. Taking pictures of what inspires you and makes you laugh.
8. Staying out of the small town you grew up in. You know you want more.
9. Learning about other cultures.
10. Creating your own beliefs about the world.

The bad list and the ones to STOP

1. You’re not entitled, so stop acting like it most of the time.
2. You’re not cool. Cool people don’t blame others.
3. You’re generally a nice person. Stop putting on a show.
4. Please, please, please stop after two beer. You get annoying when you have more.
5. Stop focusing on other people’s opinions, unless they are actually meaningful and have your best interests at heart.
6. People pleasing is kicking in. Stop it in its tracks, because this one really screws us up and leads to perfectionism.

The to do list — you can be a better person right now

1. Read anything and everything that can improve your mind (Seventeen Magazine doesn’t count).
2. Start writing — journal, poems, short stories, whatever.
3. Listen to smart people (a.k.a Jim Rohn, Tony Robbins and so many others who will follow).
4. OMG! Please develop a killer habit for exercising. FYI, if you don’t, you’ll still be struggling in your forties.
5. Education isn’t everything, but never stop learning.
6. Work hard for what you want, but don’t slave for others.
7. Define your own values in life and start living into these values.
8. You can’t be everything to everyone, but you can be someone to yourself.
9. Trust your instincts.
10. Once Google becomes a verb, start googling how to become a better person.

While we know we can’t go back in time, I’d love to hear what you’d tell your twenty something self. Who knows, maybe a few 20-year-olds will read these and make a couple of positive changes in their life.

Thank you for taking the time to read my lists. Have a great day!

If you decide to hop on any of my vivacious social media platforms, you can find them below.

The twit-mobile (a.k.a Twitter) and become my fourth or fifth follower.

Instagram and my poorly colour-coordinated grid.

My sad LinkedIn profile.

I promise, one day I’ll be consistently active on a platform. I just can’t promise which one or when.