Time cannot be taken back or slowed down. We learn things that we wish we knew in the past. I thought it would be interesting to ask 20-year-olds what they would tell their younger self. After 2 decades of living, they have learned one or two things about life, that were unknown to them when they were younger. Hopefully, this could be helpful for some readers to learn and take advice on what other people have learned.
“Pick up that musical instrument, you’ll thank yourself later. Another one is to cook with your parents, you never know what you’ll learn.” – 20 years old
“If I were to tell my younger self something, it would probably be that not everything has a timeline in life. That just because somebody opens their business up at 21 years old, doesn’t mean you’re not successful at what you are doing and where you are at right now. Where you are right now, is exactly where you need to be. Also don’t be so hard on yourself, because there is so much coming in the future that you don’t know about yet, and it’s going to be really awesome!” – 19 years old
“Be less timid you idiot.” –19 years old
“To grow and learn, you have to get outside of your comfort zone. Do things you’ve always wanted to do. Sometimes the things that really matter are right in front of you, you just have to look a little bit harder. You are meant to be doing exactly what you are doing right now, and as long as you’re enjoying the ride, there’s no need to stress about the future.” – 20 years old
“Don’t worry too much about what other people think about you, because they are probably worrying about what you think of them or they don’t actually care. So, you should just be yourself and do what makes you happy. Another thing I would tell myself is, don’t let embarrassment stop you from doing something you want to do. Regretting not doing something because you held back, feels way worse that the short-lived embarrassment that might come from what you did.” – 21 years old
“There may be more losses than there are wins, but the one true loss is accepting that you may never win.” – 20 years old, Pauline
“You don’t have to follow what everyone does even though it might seem scary to take your own path. Don’t be worried if you feel that you are behind, because you’re not. You are doing your own thing and your path is not like everyone else’s. I try not to compare myself to others because you only have yourself to work with. You might as well make the best version of yourself!” – 24 years old
Most of these quotes relate to regrets and how they have shaped the person they are today. Indeed, regrets are difficult to overcome, but there is always a lesson that can be learned from those experiences. Another element that can be pulled from these quotes, is to live more in the moment and live by carpe diem, seize the day.
There is also a lot of acknowledgement to not comparing yourself with others who may be in a more advanced part of their lives. The lesson that everyone’s life moves at a different speed and to not compare yourself to others is a fundamental one, that should be remembered and applied.