What do people regret in their 50s? About what spontaneous, naive or simply reckless decisions? What wisdom did they lack half a lifetime ago?
You just don’t know some things at this time, you don’t have experience. You know some, but you don’t do it, because before you is the whole immense life. And then you’re fifty, and it’s very unexpected. Here’s what I would say to my 25-year-old self, with all my love:
1. Speak, do not be silent! Only you are your greatest advocate. There is an English saying: only a creaking wheel gets oil. Never be afraid to stand up for yourself, because regretting what you missed is complete … nonsense.
2. Know when to back off. It can be frustrating and a little humiliating, and not in the nature of 20-year-olds to admit their mistakes, but if you find yourself stubbornly pounding on a questionable door, you better back off. The sooner you turn off the path that is not for you, the sooner you will find your own. And the less time you waste.
3. Save some money. At the age of 50, you gradually begin to understand this. As well as the meaning of the word “pension”. So take a sandwich with you, put a couple of apples in your bag, take a walk to the subway. Do not order everything in a cafe, everything that you liked in the picture, and another cup of cocoa for the road. Drink coffee and think of me, 50 years old.
4. Travel more. Even before you have children, a mortgage and osteochondrosis, visit the places you dream of. Try to work in another country. Travel light with your friends, visit the cities where your classmates are from. Rushing off and going light on an adventure is just about your age. Climb the mountains, choose those places where you don’t want to look at your smartphone.
5. Change your specialty if you understand that this is definitely not for you. And if yours, then go to lectures.
6. Think well before you get married! Many then think that it would be better if they waited until 30 years with this. There are even more of those who believe that they did not think enough at the time. Which is great advice for any age. Don’t rush into anything. Plus a comment from a 70-year-old working engineer: “marry well or don’t marry at all; There is nothing worse than a bad marriage.”
7. Take out your credit card less often.
8. Still use sunscreen. While we were thinking about whether to buy it, these dark spots on the face and wrinkles appeared from somewhere.
9. Slow down. You are too busy because you have to make a career or because you have to look through all the news on instagram. In both cases, you have the feeling that you are not on time somewhere and are about to be late. It will stay with you no matter how much you accelerate, and will bring some health problems with it, although for now you feel great. Just don’t rush to get on all the trains at the same time.
10. Start thinking about your health. Surely the girls know about this at least from the advertising of day creams. In general, after the age of 25, the metabolism starts to slow down and you can change your diet of “one pizza once a day, wash down with Coke” to some other one. There are many interesting things in life that are worth seeing, and it is desirable to be healthy and have strength at the moment when you want to enjoy them.
11. Learn. It doesn’t matter if it’s your profession, kitesurfing or relationships with people, you always have someone to learn from. Then later. Because we know that at 25 you are so cool that only stars are taller than you.