Advice To My Younger Self

Wednesday, 5 June 2013

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Now I could probably get a little too personal with this and talk about how I should not have made so many bad boy decisions but I won’t. Instead I will keep it to the stuff I really wish I would have figured out earlier in life. 

1 // Always buy the warrantee. I inevitably drop, smash, drown, shatter, or break my appliances and electronics. 

2 // Wear sunscreen. I wear SPF on my face and neck/chest every day now but I spent years baking in the sun while playing tennis. I was way too tan and I’m sure I did some damage. 

3 // Send hand-written thank you notes {and greeting cards}. There is something so special about thank you notes. With our increasingly electronic-ridden lives, hand-written cards are even more meaningful. I always appreciate getting real cards in the mail. Thank you notes show someone that you care and that you acknowledge their actions. 

4 // Accept people for who they are {including myself}. I spent many years either molding myself for others or resenting people for who they were and how they acted. Both of these situations are too exhausting and stressful. It’s better for me to feel comfortable in my own skin and surround myself with people who feel the same. 

5 // Stop fighting my mother. It took me years to realize the value of my mother’s insight. All my mom wanted was for me to be happy and healthy. I should have just taken her advice and stopped slamming the door {literally and figuratively}. 

6 // When people compliment you on your intelligence, beauty, accomplishments, and capabilities - BELIEVE them. I spent a lot of time always wanting to be better and always thinking I wasn’t good enough despite all the love and support I received. Say thank you and believe it. 

7 // Start saving and stop spending. I was a little mall rat growing up and I wish I would have saved a little more of that birthday and graduation money for today and for the future. 

8 // Don’t hate your body and don’t try to fit one perfect physical mold. This piece of advice is something my older self can stand to remember. 

9 // It’s okay to be the nerd. I have always been a nerd and book worm. I tried really hard to fit in with the “cool” kids and that backfired. I love being known as the nerd now. I’m damn proud of my academic accomplishments. 

10 // Always have dessert. Life is short, enjoy it. 

In true Samantha fashion, this list had some substance and a little soul. {I will have to remind my adult self of some of these whenever I start to feel doubt.}

What advice would you give your younger self?

{ I need to do a lot of finals studying so I might not post as frequently until after finals. I better go review my How To Study post! }