People always say that hindsight is 20/20, and looking back, I wish that my younger self would have known a lot more and done things a bit differently. I would have taken school more seriously, and taken myself less seriously. I would have dusted myself off a bit quicker, and listened more often than I spoke.
If I could go back and teach my younger self a few crucial lessons that I've learned as an adult, the main one would be:
Give yourself a break sometimes. There are dozens of people that you will encounter in your life who will be hard on you, judge you unfairly, and hold you to impossible standards. Don't be among them. Don't bring yourself down to their level, and don't let negativity erode your confidence in your own skills and abilities.
That being said, there are a few things that my younger self got right: if you're having a bad day, go extra fabulous with your makeup, or wear something that makes you feel good. High heels always look better. You have to be a friend in order to have a friend. And when a problem comes up, figure out how you would handle the worst possible outcome, and you'll be better prepared to handle anything in between.
In a few years, I'll most likely be ruminating on things that my 30something self could have done better. Life is a learning experience. But its never bad advice to drink water, wash off your makeup and wear suncreen religiously! In my personal case, its usually 2 out of 3...
