What Do You WIsh You Could Have Told Your 18 year old self?

I recently had lunch with a friend who commented during our conversation that her 18 year old self would have been so disappointed with her 29 year old self. She has a great job and life, but it is a far cry from the exciting, jet-setting dreams she had as an 18 year old.

Her comment got me to thinking about what I wish I could have told myself now that I have a little perspective on life.

So here are some of my words of wisdom to my 18 year old self:

• Don't take life too seriously. Don't be so focused on your goals that you miss enjoying the journey it takes to get there.
• Learn all you can from those who have been there. They may not know everything there is to learn, but they know a lot more than you, so ask lots and lots of questions.
• There isn't a perfect roadmap for life. You don't get extra points for going the direct path versus the meandering one. Take an opportunity to explore and discover the world and cultures around you. No one says you have to graduate by xx time, get married by xx time, start a family by xx time.
• Faith does carry you when you can't walk. Don't take your relationship with Christ for granted. Cultivate it and share with others what God is doing in your life.
• Relationships matter. Work hard to develop them. Regardless of where life takes you, keep in touch with those friends, because they've been placed in your life for a reason. (In a few years a great technology called Facebook will take over the world and make keeping in touch much easier.)
• Remember that you are always representing more than yourself. You represent your family, you represent Christ, you represent your church and any other organization you've affiliated yourself with. Make sure your actions represent those people and organizations well.
• You have a lot of control in how people view you. Make smart choices so you are perceived with respect.
• Give others the benefit of a doubt, you never know what led them to where they are until you understand their story.

Those are just a few of the lessons I would share with my younger self. What would you share with your younger self?