What advice would you give to the 12 year old you??
gimmesometruth27
St. Fuckin Louis Posts: 23,331
we were talking about this earlier today at work and some of the things people said were pretty interesting. i thought i would expand the conversation here.
so, if you could do so, knowing what you know about life now, what advice, if any, would you give to the 12 year old you??
i'm 38 now, and have been through a lot in this crazy life of mine, so there is a lot i could say to the 12 y/o gimme. here are a few things i would say.
- don't be what everybody else wants you to be just because you feel like you have to. be you.
- study harder in undergrad than in grad school.
- choose your friends wisely.
- don't care so much about what other people think about you.
- don't be shy. if you like a girl, ask her out. the worst she can say is no.
- if you are unhappy in a relationship, you don't have to stay in a bad situation.
- you really need to follow your dreams. if you want to play guitar and tour, learn now. don't wait until college because it will be too late.
- if you want to do something, don't halfass it.
- put down the video game controller and go outside.
- try to stay in shape. it is much more fun to gain weight than to try to lose it.
- don't be afraid to go to your family if you need help.
- don't be a fool with your money.
- believe in yourself at all times. don't talk down on yourself and don't compromise who your are or what you believe in for anybody no matter what..
now you all go
so, if you could do so, knowing what you know about life now, what advice, if any, would you give to the 12 year old you??
i'm 38 now, and have been through a lot in this crazy life of mine, so there is a lot i could say to the 12 y/o gimme. here are a few things i would say.
- don't be what everybody else wants you to be just because you feel like you have to. be you.
- study harder in undergrad than in grad school.
- choose your friends wisely.
- don't care so much about what other people think about you.
- don't be shy. if you like a girl, ask her out. the worst she can say is no.
- if you are unhappy in a relationship, you don't have to stay in a bad situation.
- you really need to follow your dreams. if you want to play guitar and tour, learn now. don't wait until college because it will be too late.
- if you want to do something, don't halfass it.
- put down the video game controller and go outside.
- try to stay in shape. it is much more fun to gain weight than to try to lose it.
- don't be afraid to go to your family if you need help.
- don't be a fool with your money.
- believe in yourself at all times. don't talk down on yourself and don't compromise who your are or what you believe in for anybody no matter what..
now you all go
"You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
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Comments
- Try to have fun every day..
- Learn to play the piano, don't quit only because your friend might do..
- Don't be too afraid of boys, some of them can actually be nice..
- Think about if you really want to work with health care when growing up, could something else be more interesting?..
- You don't need alcohol to have fun plus it can get you in to trouble..
- Be kind against yourself and others..
Dear 12 year old Susan,
Please trust in yourself. You are a capable person, and I don't want you to wait until you are in your 40s to realize this.
Don't let other people make you feel as if you are not enough. They don't get you, and that's on them. Conversely, if you don't get some people, don't be condescending to them.
It's okay to change your mind (I'm specifically thinking about your major in college, one of your roommates, and some crappy jobs you stayed in because you thought you had to). You know what is best for you, so don't be afraid to change something if it is not working for you.
Know your limits when it comes to money and alcohol. I'm trying to save you years of digging out of debt, here. Also, mixing drinks never ends well for you, no matter how many times you try, so just stop.
Just because you are bored is no reason to watch that rerun of "Gilligan's Island" that you have already seen 5 times (spoiler alert: they don't get off the island). Read a book or go outside. Do something else.
As the saying goes: the days are long, but the years are short. Don't be so serious all the time--it's not all life and death (that stuff comes later on). Laugh more. A lot more.
Just be yourself. Follow your passions, your dreams, your interests. Other people's interests are just that: other people's. Don't get caught up in their stuff.
Maintain healthy boundaries.
It's okay to say you don't understand something. Most people are usually good about explaining when they realize you don't understand.
You are already pretty good about this, but I just want to remind you to say "Please" and "Thank You."
Don't be afraid to fail.
Tom O.
"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"
-The Writer
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
This is one of those topics that will continue to spur thought and reflection.
For now, I'd say don't be afraid to try and fail - learning from your mistakes is part of success.
And, know that your first and foremost obligation is to yourself - as in, respect yourself, and be the change you want to see.
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
(and known the beauty of the hoot)
be yourself. believe it or not most people when you are younger are just as insecure as you are.
give people a chance. don't dismiss someone because of what you think they are like or how they might look or dress. some will really surprise you.
don't be afraid to give compliments to people. you will come to realize how much people appreciate even little sentiments
don't hide your mistakes and fuck ups or lie about them. own up to them right away. it will be easier for everyone involved.
be careful with words. they can hurt someone deeper than you think
speak with confidence
try (or take classes) in things out of your normal realm (guitar, surfing, cooking, dancing, etc.)
Something else that came to mind - know the difference between settling and compromising (and go for the latter).
I'm sure 12 yr old me would smile right back.
(of course 12 year old me may ask adult me to change a few things in my life now)
"Dear Jason P,
On the night that I go back in time at 1:30 AM, you will be shot by terrorists.
PLEASE take whatever precautions are neccessary to prevent this terrible disaster.
Your friend,
Jason P"
If I'm not being logical I'd tell myself to avoid my ex hubby like the plague, lol, and also make sure that I start going to Pearl Jam concerts in 1991 instead of letting life get in the way and not go my first for years and years and years.
this is a good one.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
For sure I would have tried hard to convince myself that the attention of boys is not what will give way to higher self worth.
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"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
Buffalo 12-Oct-2013 * Cincinnati 01-Oct-2014 * St. Louis 03-Oct-2014
~Don't be so shy.
~Start going to PJ concerts as early as possible!!! Instead of waiting years and years, just like someone else said...
~Learn to surf...you always wanted to, so do it.
~I'd like to say don't date that one guy in college, You'll know the one, but then again, it probably helped make you who you are today...so maybe just don't take his shit for so long!
~Don't get so discouraged by so many frogs...your prince is out there!
Tattooed Dissident!
just kidding, this is great actually. I think about this all the time. But I kind like how I figured things out as a bumbling idiot. It would definitely revolve around taking more chances and focusing more on the future.