Messages to a Younger Self for a Happier and Healthier Life

When many of us reach a certain age, we begin to re-examine our lives. In the modern world, it’s common to think that with age comes wisdom, the kind we often wish we could share with our younger selves to better our future lives. If you ever somehow manage to build a time machine, here are a few things you might want to consider telling your past self.

Do What You Love, So You Can Love What You Do

Working in a job you find dull can lead to a lower quality of life and less overall happiness. Although a job with great pay has its rewards, it’s much less fulfilling than doing something you actually look forward to every morning. That passion will become success if you work hard enough at it.

Don’t Fear Mistakes

Despite popular opinion to the contrary, mistakes aren’t necessarily a negative thing. Most mistakes are actually learning opportunities in disguise. Don’t be afraid to try something new and scary. If you succeed, great, and if you fail, then you’ve learnt something about yourself and your abilities along the way. But if you never take that risk, you’ll always be left wondering.

Communicate

Communication is the key to success in your personal relationships. You have to remember that people don’t have mutant powers allowing them to plumb your innermost thoughts and feelings. Passive-aggressive tactics, snide hints and cold shoulders only create frustration and spite. You have to clearly communicate with others for them to know what you want, need or feel.

Change Is Good

Situations change all the time, for better or worse. You might have a high paying job and lose it to layoffs, or perhaps have trouble making ends meet only to experience a sudden windfall. You shouldn’t fear change, you should embrace it. The human ability to handle the unknown and the unpredictable is far greater than we might first believe.

Think About the Future

One of the few things you have absolutely no control over is the approach of the future. The future will be upon you before you know it, so it’s worth it to be prepared. Investing in a retirement fund or saving money may mean less to spend in the short run, but it will mean a stronger, more solid, future. Life insurance is also very important, and there are several life insurance comparison companies you can compare to get the best rates.

Take Care of Your Body

Serious health problems often don’t manifest until you are well beyond your teens, and many such as diabetes and heart disease can be attributed directly to your past actions. You should try to keep your body as healthy as you can. Make an attempt to stay well-hydrated, eat right, avoid smoking and always wear sunscreen. Your body will thank you for it in your later years.

Don’t Listen To the Haters

Especially in your younger years, the opinion of others is very important to you. When you reach a certain age, however, you realize that in the grand scheme of things, the opinions of others generally don’t matter. In fact, most of the people who have opinions of you now are not even going to be a part of your life five or ten years down the road. There are, of course, times when you want to make a good impression such as job interviews or a first date, but beyond that, others’ opinions of you are generally just roadblocks to your personal happiness.

Be Honest

Always be honest, whether it’s with other people or to yourself. Not only will you feel better about yourself and about life in general, but it’s much easier to keep your story straight when it’s the truth. Lying and dishonesty always ends up complicating matters in the long run, and can seriously hurt friendships and other relationships.

By getting your younger self to follow these suggestions, you can have a much happier life. As for any resulting time paradoxes this might cause, well, you’re on your own there. But we’re serious about the sunscreen.