What Advice Would You Give Your Younger Self?
Project 365, Day 111/365
I think about time travel probably more than I should. Definitely more than most people. So much so, that Charles—a fellow time travel enthusiast—and I have worked out a “code word” for each other should we ever feel like we encountered our future selves…you know, just in case, to make sure we weren’t being bamboozled. And now, you all leave and never come back to reading this blog. Of course, this is all mostly for fun. The time travel genre is certainly one of my top three movie categories. The “Back to the Future” franchise is my absolute favorite, so my mind can get a little kooky sometimes caught up in the thought of any of that being a reality (it’s not, I know that, and I’m sad about it).
However, of course, I don’t REALLY think about time travel in the “scientific” way. More in the “if I could go back in time and do XX, it would be XX” way. I think it’s a natural human tendency to try to change that which we can’t, you know? Time travel in movies is essentially a direct answer to that tragic fact.
Anyhow, if you’re still here and haven’t decided I’m “eccentric” in not a charming way but, in fact, in a very scary way, welcome, I’m glad you didn’t leave. 😉 This post has a point, promise!
Today, I did a little two-step in my mind with the incredibly basic question: If I could tell my younger self something (or two or three), what would it be? Part advice, part “hey, maybe buy some Netflix stock and definitely a handful of Bitcoins.” I thought it would be fun to explore the advice part, and also hear from you. I think back to the post I wrote about how I landed on playing the oboe and how wonderful it was to hear from everyone about their own experiences with band and instruments, or just talents and hobbies from their youth. Excuse me for chasing that feeling again. I apologize for nothing.
While I refuse to write any of this in wet cement and would rather prefer this remain flexible should I want to change my answers, for today, here’s what I’ll say are the top three things I’d tell younger Arlyn, knowing what I know today (as long as I’m guaranteed it won’t turn into a bad alternate-1985-timeline-where-Biff-runs-my-town-out-of-a-tacky-casino scenario):
#1: Leave. Go. Move. Do not wait until the time feels “right” or “safe” to leave Florida. If your dream is to live in New York and work in magazines, go live in New York and work in magazines, young Arlyn. It will be hard, it might feel like no one will give you a chance, but do it anyway. Even if it doesn’t last, do it. You don’t want to regret that you never did just that.
#2: Save your money, invest the money you saved and learn how to be more fiscally confident. While I know #1 is kind of in direct opposition to #2, listen up. Do not spend your money on complete nonsense. Oh, and those credit cards are not your friend. Cut them up and never look back, or else you’ll spend the majority of your 30s when you finally make decent money taking all your “decent money” and paying down the idiotic debt you made for yourself in your 20s.
#3: Experience everything. Take fewer naps, and GO DO THINGS. Go to midnight bowling even though your mom stresses you out about being out so late. Wake up early to drive to the beach on a whim. Take a random day or two off and just spend it with someone you love. When someone says “hey, I rented this boat, want to go out on it this weekend?” say yes and let yourself enjoy it. Stop being so AFRAID OF EVERYTHING. It will get you nowhere. And you’re safe. Your gut won’t steer you wrong, but your anxiety will. It’s important to figure out the difference between those two.
Now that I’m three deep in this, I’m going to throw in a bonus advice-to-younger-self-#4: Take better care of yourself. Eat better. Find a regular exercise routine and stick to it. Your good health is everything.
Okay, your turn. What one or two things would you tell your younger self? It can be fun, serious, important, or silly. I can’t wait to hear from you!
See you tomorrow, FOAS.