“Once I had a team building training at work, everyone loves team building right? The question was asked ‘What would we go back and tell our 18-year-old self?’ My answer was that I would tell myself to stay out of the tanning bed because you will get premature winkles and Botox is expensive. The answer gave everyone a great laugh, which was kind of my goal, but also my answer was very true.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this exercise again lately, I would still tell that 18-year-old the same thing.
Now, in my 30’s, there are so many more things I would tell that sweet innocent freshly graduated from high school 18-year-old….
First things, if you end up with the boy that you’re most certain you’re going to marry and have babies with, you will be 32 and living with his mom, which is exactly where he still lives.
I would tell myself that not everyone lives as long as you think they will and to hug every family member as many times as you can. All these ‘friends’ you have will one by one start their own lives and you will most likely grow apart, but that is okay.
Stop overthinking your future, what is meant to happen will happen, and what is not meant to be will not. Don’t let this world harden you. You will gain weight, lose weight, gain weight, lose weight, gain weight and lose weight, the scale and your jean size does not define you. There will always be someone prettier, skinnier, richer, taller, smarter, but there is only one you and you are amazing.
DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT rush college, I know the real world seems exciting and you cannot wait to get out there, here’s a secret… the real-world sucks, enjoy college. Mortgages, utilizes, student loans, insurance, credit cards, and car payments are due every month, put them on auto draft so you don’t forget and come home to your water being turned off… whoops. By the way don’t even try to argue with the water department, it never works out and you can’t switch providers.
Do not be naïve, there are bad people in this world who do bad things, stay away from them. Leave after the first lie, DO NOT wait around for the second or one hundredth lie, leave! People who hurt you are also hurting.
Not everyone at work will like you, some won’t even have a reason, don’t stress over it this is just how some people are. You will not be rich right after college, sorry kid, but hang in there you are smarter than you think. It is okay if you have to work two or even three jobs, it does not make you less smart or less of a person.
One day you will wake up and be 30, appreciate it, it’s a gift a lot of people would have loved to live to be 30. Your heart will get broke, we’ve all been there and it sucks but you’ll figure it out and get through it. Always be a good person and do the right thing even if it’s not the popular thing to do.
Mental health is real, talk about it, get help, seek counseling, you are not a weaker person because of your mental health.
Every relationship has issues, not just yours, you are not alone. Do not compare yourself to people on social media, social media only shows us perfectly retouched family photos, this is not real life.
9:00 p.m. will be late one day, go to bed, and get rest.
Alcohol is not an anti-depressant; it will not solve any problems or issues.
If you’re not married with children or even if you’re divorced or separated by 30… who cares, you’re amazing!
The most important thing I would tell myself, know your worth. You are worth so much more than you know. If someone wants to walk out of your life let them, it is their loss! You are not defined by the crappy things people do to you. The crappy things people do to you show more about their character than yours. YOU ARE ENOUGH, and you will always be enough do not let anyone tell you any different.
Oh, and wear your sunscreen kid, you’ll think me later.”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Cortney McBride. Follow her journey on Instagram here. Do you have a similar experience? We’d like to hear your important journey. Submit your own story here. Be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.
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