Advice For Our Younger Selves

Health, Tips and Tricks

We live in a world where we constantly look forward to the future, and then once we’re in the future, we just look back and wish we didn’t rush things so fast. So, what would you tell your younger self and what would your future self tell you to do now? Are those two the same thing?

As we get older, the years seem to go by faster and faster! We pick up new hobbies; we meet new friends; we face different challenges; we experience love; and we experience loss. I don’t think any of us give ourselves enough credit for everything that we’ve all been able to do everything we’ve all been able to accomplish. We all need to realize that the present moment is truly the only thing that we have… So, let’s show ourselves a little bit of love! Love for our younger selves, love for our future selves, but most importantly love to our present selves!

Mindset is everything, I have been doing a lot of reflecting recently. I’ve been thinking back to my high school days, my younger self, everything she’s been through, everything she’s accomplished, the things that she used to worry about that were so insignificant – I wish that I could just give her the biggest hug. There are so many little things, little pieces of advice that I wish I could tell her, so that’s why I decidedt o make this blog kind of as as a letter to my younger self! But not only that- a letter to all of our younger selves because no matter what chapter of life you’re in; whether you’re starting high school, you’re starting college, or you’re getting married, I think the things that are going to be said in this blog are things that we all should live by!

@ragan.jacaty

The biggest piece of advice that I would give to my younger self, being 23 now, living in a new city, and just being older- I would say is to say yes to everything! One thing that I’ve really grown to know is that you never know who you’re going to meet. Saying yes could open a million different doors to other opportunities whether it’s just like a small little dinner, a little event, a vacation, a getaway- literally anything. It could be going for a walk, but you literally never know who you could meet, what things you could learn, and how you could grow from that. So say yes and take the leap!

@avajules

The advice that I would give to my younger self is to enjoy where you’re at now. I think especially nowadays there’s such a rush and a pressure to grow up, be an adult, and be a grown up. Enjoy where you’re at now- this moment is so fleeting and no chapter lasts forever. Each chapter is so special and vital to your life story. (This sends me when I think about it but-) At this exact moment, this is the youngest that you’ll ever be again and youth is so beautiful, but also a fleeting thing. Enjoy where you’re at! Life is meant to be enjoyed and not always taken so seriously. Also, always be nice to yourself, especially in the world that we live in! There’s so many other things going on, there’s so many like outside noises and voices telling you you’re not good enough- whatever it is, be nice to yourself because you deserve it!

@josiejabs

If I could give my younger self or girls younger than me a piece of advice, it would be that your looks are the least important thing about you. We live in a society with such unrealistic beauty standards; sometimes it feels like there’s literally no way to win. Looking back on younger me who was dealing with so much insecurity and was constantly worried about the way I looked, I feel like I would often miss out on things or not let myself live up to its full potential because I was so worried about the way I look or just wasn’t feeling confident at the time. When I look back at those moments, I wish I would have just let myself have fun and live in the moment because when we’re old and we’re thinking back on our younger selves, we’re going to think about all the fun memories and experiences that we had. We’re not going to be like, oh my God, I was so pretty back then, because that’s not important. There are so many things about you that make you beautiful besides the way you look on the outside, and honestly, being a good person is the most important thing in just enjoying your life, because nothing is that deep! Being young is hard, but that piece of advice really hits home for me, and I wish I could go back and tell myself that when I was younger!

@meganlnettles

Advice that I would give to my younger self. I’m 28 years old right now, so I’m still young. I’m still working on it; we’re all still working on it. But I would tell myself to stop worrying so much about the future. Stop worrying so much about the next stage of life. Where am I going to go to college and graduating college? And then all the pressure of where am I going to get a job? What am I doing with my life? Who am I going to marry? When am I going to have kids? If I could look back to myself in high school and say, hey, you’re 28 years old now, it’s all going to plan. Everything’s going to work out. Stop worrying about it so much because whether I worried about it or not, I’m sure that I would still be in the same place. I would still have ended up where I am today. And even now I have pressure of when am I going to have kids? How old am I going to be when I do this? And what about upgrading my house? All the next things. There’s always going to be a next chapter. Stop rushing time. It already goes by so fast. If I can share anything with anyone, especially a young woman, stop worrying; it’s all going to work out!

@kailana.clough

Some advice that I would give my younger self is to not take life so seriously. I feel like it’s so important to be able to take a step back and realize that not everything goes to plan. I feel like at such a young age I had so much planned out, and it’s okay when it doesn’t go to plan. Don’t be afraid to make those mistakes because most of the time they make you a better person and they allow you to handle situations better. I love my younger self. I wish that I could give her a hug and tell her that everything is going to be okay because it is!

@hannahmeloche

Growing up is super interesting. Things will happen that you would have never expected to happen, so I think it’s like just rolling with the punches and trying to make the best out of every situation. If you don’t have that outside validation or people hyping you up, believing in you, you have to be your biggest hype person. That’s still something that I have to work so hard on—making sure I believe in myself, making sure I can hype myself up. Because the older you get, sometimes your environment changes or your friends change, you’re not by your family as much. Keep believing in yourself, know that there’s a way to get better and there’s a way that you can make a positive impact on your life and other people’s lives. Be around positive people, and if you can’t be in a positive environment or around positive people, give that to yourself. Be your own light. Showing yourself that love will end up reflecting, and other people will see that. And yeah, there’s just so much good that you can do in the world—never-ending good!

@sophianvilar

So, if I could give advice to my younger self, I would start by reminding myself to trust my instincts; they often lead in the right direction even when doubt creeps in. I would emphasize that failure is not something to fear but rather an opportunity to learn and grow. Taking care of mental health is just as important as achieving goals. Stress and anxiety are real and seeking help is okay. Relationships with friends and family are invaluable, so I’d encourage myself to cherish and nurture those connections. Investing in personal growth, whether through education, skills, or experiences, is always worthwhile. I’d also remind myself to be kind, to celebrate small achievements, and to forgive when things don’t go as planned. Living in the moment is crucial; while it’s important to plan for the future, enjoying the present is what life is truly about. I would urge myself to take risks and step out of my comfort zone because some of the best experiences come from the courage to try something new. Balance is key in all areas of life and it’s okay to set boundaries and say no when needed to protect my peace of mind!

@myabenway

Ignorance is bliss sometimes. You don’t need to know everything, especially in this day and age. One of my favorite things to do is, if someone’s making me feel insecure or if, for some weird reason, my brain gets anxious whenever I see their posts, I just put them on mute. You don’t even have to unfollow them, just mute them. Also, the less you know, the less you can overthink. We weren’t meant to know everything, and sometimes it’s better off like that. Let your brain live rent-free. Ignorance is bliss, baby!

@linsey.jeannes

Advice that I would give my younger self is advice that I still give myself today, and I will tell myself for the rest of my life: be where your feet are. By that, I mean be present and don’t rush through your youth. Tomorrow isn’t promised, and most of you will become adults someday anyway, so you might as well be a kid while you’re still a kid. I know some people might be in a situation where they have a lot more adult responsibilities at a younger age and desire adult-like freedoms, wanting to grow up really fast. But, especially under those circumstances, it’s so important to be present and soak up every little bit of your youth that you can. Carry that principle with you throughout your whole life. So, that’s my advice—and also, don’t drive distracted!