The school year is coming to an end, and for many high school seniors it's a time to think about the future. Here are 20 things I wish someone had told me when I was 18.
The end of the school year is in sight, and high school seniors are starting to think about their futures. Is college in the cards? Trade school? Finding a job? It can be confusing to know what the right choices are.
For me, my daughter will be turning 18 in a few months, and I have found myself thinking more and more about what advice I would want to give to her, or to any soon-to-be adult about planning for their future.
So, here are 20 things I wish someone had told me when I was 18, numbers 11-20:
- Play everyday – As we grow up, we stop being willing to just play. There is always room to be creative and silly.
- If you don't know what to say, don't say anything – Sticking your foot in your mouth is always worse than being shy. If someone says something you don't like, or you just don't know how to respond, just don't say anything at all. Let them break the silence.
- Be who you are – Being yourself always seems so overused to me, but it is still true. When you work hard at growing and being the person you were born to be, rather than the person you think you ought to be, you will have a very happy life. Not everyone was born to be in a cubicle. Just be careful to leave yourself room to grow.
- Use the resources you have, instead of waiting until you have more – It is easy to think that if only you had something, (a college degree, a better car, a different partner, a pile of cash) you could reach your goal. Instead of focusing on the things you don't have, look at the resources you have and put them to use furthering your cause.
- Never stop asking questions – We could all learn a lesson from 3 year olds. They want to know why and how come about everything. When you get into the habit of asking questions, you will come to realize that sometimes the search is more important than the answer.
- Try your best to never burn bridges – You may not think that it is worth the effort to treat everyone in your life with respect and integrity, but you never know what the future may hold. Sometimes a chance encounter can lead to something new and exciting.
- Most people can't read minds, so tell them what you are thinking – If you want something, tell everyone you can. You can't get upset with someone for not doing what you wanted them to do if you never asked them to do it.
- Just do it – Even if you don't have all the resources you think you need, or you aren't sure if it's the right time, just do it. Let the rest work itself out. If you think that an opportunity is right for you, don't second guess yourself. If later you find that you made a mistake, you can always fix it or move on. Either way, you'll be better off than if you never took a risk.
- Spend some time everyday being quiet with yourself – The most important relationship you will ever have is with yourself. Don't be afraid of being alone or just sitting quietly with yourself. Sometimes you greatest truths will come out in a whisper when you are being quiet.
- Assume love – We always seem to be so quick to assume that people are looking at us, that they are judging us, that they secretly don't like us. Why are we so quick to think the worst of ourselves? When you don't know the situation, assume that people are looking at us with love, that they are admiring our courage and that they think we are great until there is proof that proves otherwise.
What do you think about this list? What else should be on it? Let me know in the comments.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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