If you could go back in time and have a brief conversation with your 18 year old self.

Buckle up!

It's going to blow your mind.

ETA: I've been graced with a pretty good life.

“What are the dammed lottery numbers!?”

...about which you know nothing. Do not be intimidated by your ignorance, rather kill it."

..."explore" would have been a better word.

I spent too much of my youth thinking I was abysmally stupid and that nothing could be done about it. It led to paralysis that was hard to shake off.

To go pursue your dreams instead of conforming to the capitalist grind. You might not make it, hell, you might die but die trying. Regret isn’t something you want to live with. Drop everything and go now.

This: That handsome, charming, witty man is in reality a lying, cheating, abusive asshole who will make the rest of your life miserable; run away! Other than that, she did pretty good with the cards she was dealt.

I'd definitely tell myself that ruining my opportunities for ANY guy would be the worst thing I could do!

If husband #1 hadn't happened, I probably would have never met or even given husband #2 the time of day!

he was a creep and he broke your heart.

gooooooooooooooooo finish your college instead

That skinny little freak didn't listen to a damned thing I told him.

You don't have to marry ANYone. I had 3 beaus and thought, well, I have to pick one. No, I didn't. (I was 19) Picked the wrong one of course.

Wait to get married and have kids. Pick a job with a pension one you can live with and stick to it.

I went from job to job and now have small amount of SS only. Thankfully husband I have been with for last 24 yrs has a decent pension so we mostly live on that. But I see couples who can afford better home and travel that have two pensions.

I would also tell myself quit religion now don't wait till your late 30's. Believe in yourself you don't need anyone to tell you what to do.

their mothers and who enjoy alcohol and drugs in moderation which is in the eye of the beholder.

Strippers aren’t as hot as you think. Nobody wins a fist fight…you always hurt the next day.

I could go on and on.

to never start smoking and never ever ever ever vote for a Republican. There are of course other things but these two are the first that come to mind.

I did, but still not enuf.
Trust less until verified. Don’t settle.
Don’t go into Pharmacy. I did. You will hate it, and not have a life long fulfilling career. That’s right. Instead you will have several decade long careers with little or no pension. And they did not fulfill your true self.
Consider public service with a good pension. If only I had.
When that fella asks you to sail away with him, do it. (I didn’t in real life)
Make sure your soul mate doesn’t need your financial support. (He does and that has been a drag on me emotionally, psychologically, physically and financially.).

This might not have been what you had in mind for responses, but I’m in an honest mood today. My life has been exactly what I made of it. I own it, the good, the bad and the ugly. But, if I knew then what I know NOW, I would have completely re-worked every single portion of my life.

Sorry…….and I ‘m not asking for any sympathy. Every single day, I try to improve and accept and enjoy. It really is a constant struggle to stay engaged. I do fine on the surface, but underneath I still don’t know why I’m here.

I haven't had any particular challenges that call for advance guidance.

'Cuz it doesn't get better over time.

And living with integrity will help in that endeavor.

do not go to Tijuana.

I don't have enough time to list the lessons I would try to teach my 18 year old self.

And pick career choice 2.

And retire a year earlier.

((Wait, wait, I'd have missed out on matches on the Thrift Savings Plan...))

((And maybe not have done the CSRS/FERS transfer...))

((And missed out on the Down Under trip while I was still young enough to enjoy it...))

list would be quite long and Im pretty sure young me STILL wouldn't listen to a damned thing I told him.

1) She's almost here. When you see her, run the other way, as FAST as you can. She's the devil.
2) Racecars = imminent financial hardship, that first car is nothing but a gateway drug. Resist!
3) Listen to your dad, he's a lot smarter than you've ever given him credit for.
4) The cliff is higher than it looks, the short-lived adrenaline rush is NOT worth the pending consequences.

Man I could go on for a long time on this one.

Young Me: Fuck off


I'm 1000× a better person than I once was.

I'm very happy where I am and believe , at age 63, that the best is still yet to come. A few or even just one change in my actions early on could prevent me from being where I am at now.

At that age, I could have done it. Now, it’s to late and I’m too old.

after I told her that when I was grown up I could do anything I wanted and she said sadly "no you can't". I didn't believe her. I've since found out there's more rules when you're an adult then when you're a child.

Live life to the fullest, don't hold back and die before you get old. I lived life to the fullest but I didn't die young. Oh well.

Now I am getting old and I hate it. My 17 year old self was no fool.

Wake up. Study hard. Don’t quit.

And don't let your father sell your Disney stock.

Number 1: Save money EARLY, because of the miracle of compound interest.

Number 2: Health. Once you lose it you can never get it back.

Number 3: Friends and family. Family ages and dies far sooner than you expect, friends do the same unfortunately. I have no answers here. Treasure family and friends.

All those little slip ups or embarrassments or cringe moments you think about at night and live in mortal fear of making again are remembered by no one except you. They're too worried about you noticing their own embarrassments to spend time remembering yours.

So just go do what you want without worrying what people think.

Don't trust Tom.

It might or might not have made any difference, but I think it would have cushioned the blow.