We often refer to our parents, our mentors and of course our peers for insight on how to live our lives whether in an overt or subliminal manner.
Along the way it can be easy to neglect to listen to our own voice and take fervent notes from those we admire. But a little introspection goes a long way and can give you a different point of view as well as insight to how you go about living your life.
As I approach 30 (next year!) my perspective as well as my priorities have changed. Now I would not wish that I tried to grow up so fast, however I do think there were some lessons that could accelerate my becoming my best self and using my time more wisely.
Below are a few things I would tell my myself in my early 20s to reduce the time it took to share my awesomeness with the world:
You make the rules of your life.
One of the greatest things I’ve learned is that “you are the expert of you”. Harness that when you have to make the biggest decisions of your life. When you ask for outside perspectives, view others as “consultants”.
You are the “CEO” of your life and will make the final call - as well as reap the greatest effect.
When you think about it you have the the ultimate directory of what make you you! What you were, what you wish to be and what you know in your heart you are - are all things that you are capable of determining.
You are valuable to the world to yourself and you do not have to compromise.
There is no one like you …NO ONE. Not with your experiences your view on the world, your desires no one in the world with your exact combination of unique abilities and value to share. So embrace it!
Embrace it nurture it and value it, because it will make you happy and secondly THAT is what changes the world being able to perfect what you and ONLY YOU can do. That is true magic. The world NEEDS your uniqueness.
Follow your gut.
…especially if you have stress/anxiety pains. Get in the habit of following your intuition.- Following your gut can be mental as well as physical. Do not ignore your body and if you think something is wrong you are most likely right. Go with your gut and respect your innate human/almost primal reaction to something that can cause you harm (in varied degrees).
Stress can change your DNA and shorten your life.
Blue zones are places in the world where people live measurably longer lives than the rest of the world. The 3 factors that are usually at the root of their long lives are; levels of stress(or lack of), activity level and the foods that they eat. The connection between stress and our longevity is not as widely-discussed as food and activity level but it is just as important.
If you realize that you have a loss of energy around a certain group of people or doing a certain activity don’t ignore that feeling. Instead address it by eliminating that activity or group of people – or by trying to reduce it significantly. Allowing stress to remain in your life is a form of self-abuse and it can reduce the number of years you have on this earth. One easy method of self care are taking 3 deep yoga breaths in the morning to center and start your day off right.
Health is wealth. Don't wait until it is gone before you appreciate it.
We are constantly reminded of the shortness of life and the various diseases or challenges that can make our lives a little more difficult. The root of these are frequently poor diet and bad habits. Whether it is our grandparents who only eat certain foods due to not being able to digest it, a friend from college that we see now has a terminal illness or an aunt who has adapted a healthier lifestyle and has a new vigor in living life. There are signs that show us how fragile our health is as well as that we have the power to change it. Are there ways that you wish you were healthier? Are there aspects to your daily life that you almost start to see as acceptable but you wish were not the case (aches and pains, being tired)? Be curious enough to get to the root of it and don’t accept bad health as a norm. Understand that your health will spill into other areas of your life (like your relationships). You do not have to wait until something unfortunate happens or until you are older in order to make a change. Start practicing good habits now.
Time is your greatest asset.
You can make money back but you can not buy more time.
Use it wisely fill it with those people and experiences that contribute to your growth as a person and really make happier and a better person and. This is a habit that will help you have fewer regrets as you approach your later years. One exercise is tracking what you do with each hour of the day and how it made you feel or how close you got to achieving a goal. Set a budget/plan around your time as you may do with your money. Because time is truly a limited resource.
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