Feeling regret is awful. Feeling regret after you were advised to do something or warned against something is even worse. Throughout your life, many people will try to give you advice, your parents, your friends, teachers, even strangers…it’s our choice whether we listen to them or not. For me, most of the time I regret not listening to my parents. The nagging, the lectures, the occasional argument, they’re all meant to guide you into making sensible decisions. But sometimes, you feel like you know more than your parents or whomever and do the complete opposite. Here are 10 pieces of advice I wish I had listened to:
1. Don’t worry about what others may think of you
This one is tricky because it’s easier said than done. But its one of those things that happens over time, as you get older you realize that you can’t live your life in constant fear of what others may think of you. Don’t be limited by others’ opinions, how you feel about yourself is what really matters.
2. Don’t overthink it
How many of you are guilty of taking a small thing and blowing it up into something bigger than it really is? Me too. All the time. This is just a matter of taking things lightly. Most of the time it turns out to be way less serious than you thought.
3. Don’t chase someone who doesn’t want you
Instead of painfully wasting your time and effort interpreting text messages or replaying situations in your head, realize that if you’re not getting what you want out of someone, it may be time to let that one go. When you connect with someone, you’ll know it because it feels effortless and familiar.
4. Sleep on it
As simple as this one seems, it’s probably the one we all take the most for granted. Impulsivity can be exciting but equally dangerous. In the midst of anger or sadness, we can make decisions that can cause irreparable damage to ourselves or others. One of the best ways to combat that is giving yourself time to walk away or sleep on whatever it is that is bothering you.
5. Don’t expect others to do things for you
One of the painful truths of growing up is that you can no longer rely on anyone to do things for you. If you want something done, you have to figure out a way to do it yourself. No one is going to hand you anything for free, that’s just the world we live in. The only person that will have your back unconditionally is yourself.
6. You are the people you surround yourself with
I can hear my parents saying this to me in high school. It’s a matter of choosing your friends wisely. Whether we realize it or not, the people in our lives have a profound impact on us.
7. What’s meant to be will be
Everything that happens in our lives happens for a reason. Somethings we can control, but most of the time we can’t. It’s a fact of life we all struggle to accept but know that if something is truly meant to be, it will happen eventually. Just be patient.
8. It’s okay to say no
Some of us have this uncontrollable need to please people, which makes saying no difficult. But it’s okay to say no if you feel uncomfortable, it’s silly to think you don’t have that option.