If you could have told your future self something, what would it be?

Honey-ec · 29-02-2012 4:10pm #1

If someone gave you the chance to go back to the age of, say, 16 and tell your future self something, what would it have been? Mine are:

study for your bloody Leaving Cert.
take that summer waitressing job in South Africa you're going to be offered next year
don't waste three of the best years of your life on a 19-stone blob (yes, I actually did that)
go to your debs
hang on to E for dear life

Anyone else?

newport2 · 29-02-2012 4:12pm

Sell house in 2007, buy lots of gold

al28283 · 29-02-2012 4:13pm

You are your future self now, you mean past self

howamidifferent · 29-02-2012 4:17pm

Telling myself that it was all just for sex and I could leave when I wanted to wouldnt work and I'd end up marrying the buunyboiler. I would say "run forest run...Life will be no box of chocolates if you stay"....

rainbow kirby · 29-02-2012 4:18pm

Don't take medicine off your CAO form...

Ophiopogon · 29-02-2012 4:19pm

I'd have to go back to 13.

Never ever start smoking.
Pay attention in school and keep your gob shut, it will be easier in the long run.
Don't take the job in the dental practice.
Sort out your mother.
Do not make friends with that person.
Start running now.

Honey-ec · 29-02-2012 4:20pm

al28283 wrote: »

You are your future self now, you mean past self

Er, no.

neuro-praxis · 29-02-2012 4:26pm

I would have told my 16 year old self:

Go to counselling now, or at least the moment you move out
Be kind to yourself and be gentle with yourself
Stick with that boyfriend you've got: he's a good 'un
Don't stop playing basketball when you get to university!

Teyla Emmagan · 29-02-2012 4:28pm

Don't fall in love with that Aussie guy and waste years of your life on him
Don't start smoking
Don't comfort eat or you will spend years struggling with the consequences
Learn to manage your stress, preferably by not succumbing to it in the first place!

I would need to go back to about 25, I made most of my mistakes after that!

Teyla Emmagan · 29-02-2012 4:30pm

Oh yeah, and sleep around. This waiting for 'the one' crap is total nonsense!

Jimmy Two Times · 29-02-2012 4:33pm

Great topic...........

Make sure you go to Cork for the replay in '83 or you'll never hear the end of it.
Take a chance with that wee cailín in 2nd Year Business Studies.
Don't give up playing football at 23 'cos you'll regret it.
Finish writing the book and fook the begrudgers.
Go up the Twin Towers when you get the chance 'cos they mightn't " be there next year "

candy-gal1 · 29-02-2012 4:35pm

dont be so naive with people.

dont believe everything anyone says, no matter how honest and trustworthy they seem or how in love with them you are.

dont blow all the money you earned from your first job, which you hate anyway.

make more of a fuss to where you would be moving to etc, when told youd be moving out of the place you loved.

never worry about what others think of you, no matter who they are, people are always going to judge etc no matter what you wear, weigh, look like or whatever, its down to their own low self esteem, worries of their own or else they really just have nothing else in their life, just be who you want to be and who you are and fcuk the begrudgers, lifes too short imho.

as was said above, enjoy yourself and ignore the rules put about by some people, if you want to sleep with someone, do it, as long as your not hurting anyone etc obviously! as long as your being safe etc, if its what you want then you shouldnt have regrets.

and lastly, dont have regrets unless its about things you havent done, not things you have done.

Eviledna · 29-02-2012 4:38pm

To the teenage me:

1) If you have to dumb yourself down for that lad, you shouldn't be with him. Get out early and be yourself.

2) Don't be so trusting, if you suspect they are betraying you, they usually are.

3) Stop trying to make people into who you want them to be, instead try pointing all that negative self-analysis outward at them: see? They are just horrible people. You're grand.

4) you're not as fat as you think you are. Wear those clothes, you'll miss it when you're too old for them

lazygal · 29-02-2012 4:41pm

To 14 year old me:

Secondary school is cr%p, just put the head down, study, stay friends with the one girl you know will be a friend for life and get into college. It's ALL better after school.
Stop agonising about what others think of you, they are NOT thinking about you as much as your paranoid self might think.
Don't worry about what to study in college, you'll have a few careers but no matter what you study you'll never be short of work.
Don't worry about finding a fella, you'll find him, fall in love and get married a lot quicker than most of your friends. And your wedding will be fantastic!
Ditch the glasses ASAP and don't let your mum fob you off, the contact lenses are step one to a much happier you.
You're an academic person, embrace it and don't worry about being cool, by the second year of college loads of people think you're one of the coolest people they've ever known because you are being you.

Acoshla · 29-02-2012 5:44pm

To 16 year old me:

Yes he is sleeping with everything that moves in London, dump him now. And don't pay any attention to what that next lad tells you about ANYTHING, he's thick.
Study for the Leaving!
People generally stick out jobs for more than 1-4 months, you should know that now because it's quite the shock to be faced with later on.
Find some sport or just general activity you like, back and neck won't hurt so much if you have any normal person's level of fitness.
Don't trust female friends until they show you that you can, girls from around here are inherently bitchy and not worth your tears or effort.
You're a skinny minny, enjoy it while it lasts and stop complaining about a non existent belly.
Mom is ALWAYS right.

beks101 · 29-02-2012 6:02pm

Just one thing really.

'Learn to love yourself. It will save a lot of time.'

Abi · 29-02-2012 6:17pm

Mom and Dad are right, get the hell away from him.

Sonic the Large Cock · 29-02-2012 6:20pm

Honey-ec wrote: »

If someone gave you the chance to go back to the age of, say, 16 and tell your future self something, what would it have been? Mine are:

study for your bloody Leaving Cert.

take that summer waitressing job in South Africa you're going to be offered next year

don't waste three of the best years of your life on a 19-stone blob (yes, I actually did that)

go to your debs

hang on to E for dear life

Anyone else?

E??

Friel · 29-02-2012 6:23pm

I would tell myself:

Concentrate in school

Stay in Uni and actually work

Get a job earlier and not to take the one I have now

Get my arse waxed immediately (genuinely, took a year of my life so far)

Give one particular person as much time and support as you can

Abi · 29-02-2012 6:45pm

Sonic the Large Cock wrote: »

E??

Its someone's initial..

squishykins · 29-02-2012 6:56pm

I'd probably go back to my 12-13 year old self, but I am only 19 so

Tell your parents exactly how you feel, no matter how hard it is, they're good people and they can help you.
Don't worry so much about boys, you do meet someone absolutely amazing
Take up some hobbies damnit! Don't worry about how you'll be seen!
Don't be afraid to put what you actually want on the CAO, not what's expected of you.
Try not to stress, even though it's in your genes :P

Teyla Emmagan · 29-02-2012 6:59pm

Friel wrote: »

I would tell myself:

Get my arse waxed immediately (genuinely, took a year of my life so far)

Getting your arse waxed is one thing (and my condolences if that's something that's an issue for you). But how could anything related to waxing your arse have taken a year of your life so far?!

Friel · 29-02-2012 7:01pm

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

Getting your arse waxed is one thing (and my condolences if that's something that's an issue for you). But how could anything related to waxing your arse have taken a year of your life so far?!

In grown hair. Been operated on 3 times since last February. Haven't been able to work or play football since.

Teyla Emmagan · 29-02-2012 7:03pm

Friel wrote: »

In grown hair. Been operated on 3 times since last February. Haven't been able to work or play football since.

Jeesus

Sunshineboo · 29-02-2012 7:13pm

Fantastic thread!

Have more self respect for yourself

Believe those compliments you are not fat

Let him go, he doesn't love and never will, sleeping with him and playing games sure as hell will never make him love you.

Take your time, don't rush college or career choices.

Finally learn to love yourself and forgive yourself or you'll never move on.

krudler · 29-02-2012 7:26pm

way too many to mention, but ok.

. apply yourself more in school, you had the brains just not the drive

.dont apply for that college course you did a and left after a few months, do take a year off and travel.

.travel

.travel

.that night the lads ask you to go for a quiet one and you think about chatting up that pretty brunette at the bar and you actually go over to her? stay at home, you'll thank me in a couple of years.

.you wouldnt mind working in a call centre? you will, dont.

. when you go to Vegas (yes you get to go to Vegas, calm down I'm not finished yet) and you wind up having dinner alone with that really cute Scottish girl? KISS HER!

Ophiopogon · 29-02-2012 7:31pm

Oh yeah that's a good one Krudler

travel for at least all of your early 20's

Starokan · 29-02-2012 7:34pm

Great topic, really makes you think:

i would tell my future self

- embrace the academic side of college, not just the partying as its only when your gone you will realise what you could have achieved

- love yourself, once you do that everything falls into place

but most of all
- when standing in the snow on xmas eve & your best friend who you have secretly loved for countless years tells you she loves you , kiss her back instead of explaining you have a girlfriend you met in college & are to principled to cheat. Cos no matter how good life gets not returning that kiss will always haunt you.

Links234 · 29-02-2012 8:02pm

Those feelings you're struggling with will not go away and you can't keep them buried. There is absolutely nothing wrong with how you feel either, don't ever let anyone else tell you what you're feeling is wrong, and the sooner you realise that the better, you will be loved for who you are and you will be happy.

Sarn · 29-02-2012 8:24pm

- Study just a little bit harder for your 2nd year exams.
- 3, 10, 15, 28, 45, 5, 7

Novella · 29-02-2012 9:01pm

If you feel like someone is treating you badly, they probably are. And it's okay to stand up for yourself and walk away.

If you could have told your future self something, what would it be?

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