What I Wish My Younger Self Knew
Hindsight really is 20/20.
When I was a teenager, I worried about everything. The way I looked, my grades, my friends, my clothes, whether or not anybody could see the pimple beneath my bangs. I went to the restroom between each class at school, smoothing my hair with a small comb from my back pocket and reapplying Vaseline to my lips. Like most teenagers, I wanted to fit in.
I wish I had known how much cooler it is to stand out! The kids who stood out had way more fun than I did. By not letting other people’s opinions guide their decision-making, they ended up doing more of what they really wanted to do. I didn’t understand how important that was for a long time.
As far as I know, the life you’re living right now is the only one you get. Why let someone else call the shots? This is a lesson I learned well in adulthood. But, boy, do I wish I’d have realized it sooner.