10 Things I Wish I Could Tell My 18 Year Old Self
Yesterday was my 29th birthday and I spent a lot of time reflecting on these last 28 years, as I head into the final year of my 20’s.
First, I wanted to say how thankful I am for all of the love and well wishes from everyone. I truly appreciated everyone who took time to send a sweet message, gift, card or phone call my way.
Second, I wanted to share with you guys the list I made of 10 things I wish I could tell my 18 year old self. I know there are many other things I could also tell my younger self, but these are the ones that I feel can help anyone at any stage of life, and things that I constantly have to remind myself and practice.
10 Things I Wish I Could Tell My 18 Year Old Self:
Change is okay and change isn’t always a bad thing. We are on a journey, which means things will change. Sometimes in the moment change can feel scary and overwhelming, but there is a greater plan and bigger better things ahead. Take a deep breath and trust that the journey may have its bumps, sharp turns and roadblocks, but it all makes it that much sweeter when we make it to our destinations along the way.
Surround yourself with people on the same mission as you! “Your environment will become you” Be weary of people with closed minds, who tend to be negative because it can rub off on you. Stay close to those who feel like sunlight—warm and bright. They say you become like who you spend most of your time with, so make sure they embody attributes and values you cherish. Put out the energy you wish to receive!
Karma is circular: What goes around comes around—don’t worry about what other people are doing and focus on what you can control. Karma will come for them. Trust me.
Don’t ever judge yourself in comparison to others. Instead, judge yourself against what you know you’re capable of and set realistic goals. You are uniquely you and that is enough.
It’s okay to say “no” — It takes practice if you tend to say “yes” out of habit. But once you get the hang of it, you'll be delighted to see how much time and energy you have to pursue your passions and people tend to respect you more for it. This is something I’m still working on, but I promise it will help lift a weight off your shoulders and let you put more into the things you do say “yes” to!
Travel/experience as much as you can! This will add incredible dimension to your life. Do things out of your comfort zone because it opens so many doors. Pick a place, pick a new adventure and go!
Technology is great and is such a big thing in our culture, but keep it in perspective and don’t let it consume you. Life in the real world is far more meaningful and important. This connects back to number 4, because it is so easy to judge and compare ourself to others through the social media filters. Trust me, most people do not post about their struggles on places like instagram and it can skew our perception of life.
Never stop learning. stay thirsty for knowledge and continue to pursue your passions. Learning promotes growth and there is no limit to how much you can learn! Knowledge is power.
The key to happiness is balance—Balance in all aspects of your life. Make a conscious decision to become balanced both internally (with yourself) and externally (social, work, family, etc). Constantly reflecting (like I am doing a lot today).
Be yourself!
Are there things you wish you could tell your younger self?
Remember that it is okay to be constantly reflecting and reassessing, but to not dwell on your past or focus on the negative, but rather think about how you can learn and grow from mistakes or changes life throws at us.
Cheers to the next year of growth and continuing to find balance!
Israel 2015