What Would You Tell Your Younger Self If You Could?

Here is "Mini Me" ... in a faded black and white photo of my 17 year old self. My entire life ahead of me, so many choices to make, so many forks in the road ahead! You know what they say about hindsight being 20/20... isn't that the truth! In life we seldom get a chance for a do-over, but we can learn from the things we experience! So much stress in our lives is caused by needless worry about things that almost never happen, or are not as bad as we thought they would be!

Our lives are a constant process of self improvement as we learn from our experiences and find new ways to expand our horizons. I decided to think of the things I would tell my younger self if I could. Some things are humorous, some are deadly serious. It was a journey through memory lane just writing them down!

Why not write your own list? It's a great exercise in introspection and a chance to look at your life from a different perspective. Take the poll below, and share what YOU would tell your younger self if you could!

• They can kill you but they can't eat you.
• It will rain eventually (which cheers me up!)
• It will eventually stop hurting, whatever it is... at least for awhile.
• It is almost never as bad as you imagine it will be. And if it is... you can handle it.
• Most of the things I've worried about never happened.
• God really does work miracles, even small ones that matter only to you.
• A great cup of coffee can make damn near anything better.
• If you plant seeds of kindness you will eventually receive kindness in return.
• For me, the loss of a loved one, or pet, never really heals. Closure is a myth. My grief simply transforms into a protective bubble of pain that years add layers of scarring to, which can lie peacefully undisturbed unless somebody pokes on it. Then it's right there just like before.
• If you get the focus off yourself and onto others, you'll be distracted from whatever is getting to you.
• Revenge is poisonous and leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
• A change of scenery is a good thing when you're stuck in a rut.
• It's never too late in life to find an unexpected new best friend.
• 99% of my problems have been self-inflicted in some way. Stop that!
• Sometimes you just have to eat the damn biscuits.
• If you make a mistake, admit it and offer restoration. People will seldom fault you for being human but they will if you don't make it right.
• You can never be responsible for anyone's happiness other than your own.
• You cannot fix everyone's problems. Nor all of the world's. You can only fix the things you can.
• When life shakes up your snow globe with a major change, embrace it, don't fight it!
• Trust and help others... but in the words of the great Ronald Reagan, "Trust... but verify."
• Don't be impatient with people who are impaired in any way. You might just find yourself with some real empathy lessons later on in life.
• Don't get sunburned. Ever. Malignant melanoma was my "reward" for repeated sunburns. Luckily I beat it and I'm here to tell my story.
• Life is too short not to sparkle! Don't be afraid to shine and express yourself.
• It is okay to be not perfect sometimes. Sometimes tiny "flaws" are what make a project, or a situation, unique! Don't be so hard on yourself!
• Stop being so self-critical. If you put yourself down, the world will certainly believe you.
• Follow your heart in choosing a career, not your head. Work at what you love.
• You become what you think about.