28/08/2024
Here are 20 essential life truths I wish I could tell my younger self.
1. Just because it (the relationship, job, or opportunity) looks good on paper, doesn't mean it will feel good in life.
2. Society, teachers, and parents often mean well, but mostly teach you to deny your truest self. Learn when and how to ignore them.
3. Nothing looks as good as authenticity feels.
4. You are smarter, braver, stronger, and prettier than you think.
5. No one benefits from you dimming your light to accommodate the fear, jealousy, and insecurity of petty people.
6. People who laugh at your struggles are not your friends. Stop spending time with them.
7. What happened to you is not your fault. But dealing with it is your responsibility.
8. When people have strong reactions to you, good or bad, it usually says more about them than it does about you. Don't let them distract you.
9. Follow your curiosity. It will teach you more, open more doors, and lead to more incredible experiences than nearly anything else.
10. Every success takes longer than you think it will. Don't optimize for speed. Optimize for endurance.
11. Everyone is figuring it out as they go—even your heroes, idols, and mentors. Don't give up.
12. The hard way is the easy way. Trying to skip steps, automate things, be lazy, or take shortcuts will only cost you in the end.
13. If you want to understand people, learn to understand yourself first.
14. Go to therapy early and often. Every part of your life will be better if you do.
15. Your inner wisdom does not shout. She whispers. So you better quiet everything else down so you can hear.
16. You don't have one soul mate. You have many. People who make life more joyful, beautiful, and rich. Find them, keep them, and love the s**t out of them.
17. Everything you want in life is on the other side of fear. Learn to face it with courage, honesty, and gratitude.
18. People will encourage you to be less sensitive. F*ck them. It's your superpower, and it's absolutely beautiful.
19. When in doubt, spend more time with the outsiders, the weirdos, the underdogs, and the puppy dogs. They have more heart, and they're way more fun.
20. Life is meant to be fully lived and felt. Learn to embrace the full spectrum of this weird, wonderful experience you're having.
• Seize every opportunity.
• Feel every emotion.
• Pet every dog.
That's what we're all here to do.
CTTO
