askyourdreamsforideas: 18 things I wish I could tell my 18 year old self

Dear Eirini at 18,

Here is some advice that I believe will come in handy as you are starting out in your adult life:

1.Stop obsessing about your imperfections

There will come a time when you'll look at pictures of your 20 year old self and wish you could turn time back...So live it up now while you can:Enjoy your cellulite-free thighs/gorgeous ass/flat belly/perky boobs.Don't take them for granted because you won't have them for ever

2.Don't try to be like everyone else

Being yourself is alright.Being a freak is alright.Being normal can sometimes be very boring

3.Don't be a doormat

Loving someone doesn't mean you should sacrifice your individuality to please them or appease their bullshit.Set healthy boundaries from the beginning .Grow a pair and stand up for yourself or you'll never be respected

4.True love does exist

And it's somewhere out there waiting for you

5.A big part of love is loving yourself

You can never really love someone unless you learn to love yourself first

6.No amount of dreaming or daydreaming is ever lost

It will all amount to something in the end,I promise

7.No amount of studying or hard work is ever lost

It will all amount to something in the end,I promise

8.Don't leave for tomorrow the crazy stuff you can do today

Be outrageous and crazy and unpredictable while you can,because there will come a time when you'll be too overwhelmed by responsibilities and grown-up stuff to be in touch with your inner wierdness

9.Experiment,experiment,experiment

Experiment with everything in life.There is no other way to find out who you are and what you really like.Even bad experiment ideas are great,because you still learn something.

10.Getting into debt is the worst idea ever

Trust me,you don't need that credit card.Or that bank loan.No matter how noble the cause.You'll come to regret it bitterly in the years or decades to come.

11.You were not born in this world to live your life based on other people's expectations

No matter who those people are or how much they love you/you love them.Don't sacrifice your dreams for other people's sake.Your dreams are a gift fom God.Your dreams fulfilled are your gift to God.

12.Develop a life-long habit of listening to and trusting your gut

Trust your inner guidance system,you have everything you need to decide within your own heart.Be your own guru.Have a healthy distrust for those who pretend they are one

13.Making friends is the best investment you could ever make

And it all boils down to getting out there and showing people that you care

14.If you have to work for someone else,do so as a stepping stone to running your own business one day

Yes,most businesses fail within the first five years.Yes,there will be a global economic meltdown one day.But employment dependence for the rest of your life is the worst choice you can make,no matter where or how you live.Start out like this if you have to,so that you can gain experience and self-confidence,but quit as soon as you can and chase your own dreams instead of somebody else's

15.Travel a lot

Because there will come a time when you'll be so tied down in a hectic lifestyle that you simply won't be able to.So be a free gypsy now that you can.Explore the world and you'll come to find yourself along the way

16.Don't have children too early

Granted,because of raising them you'll be far wiser,more mature,loving and dependable than your friends who do not have kids at that age.But you will also have a hundred times the exhaustion,both physical and emotional,the worries,the financial burden and,as they grow up,the heartache as well.So go have a few adventures and live a care-free life first before you have those kids.Believe me,it's worth it

17.Make exercise a part of your daily routine

Just because your weight is at its lowest ever now,in spite of all that junk food you eat,doesn't mean that your good luck will go on forever.Weight keeps piling up almost imperceptibly as time goes by.So do yourself a favour and make working out a daily habit.Looking your best is a prerequisite to feeling confident and happy at all ages

18.Everyone who said that your 20's is the best decade of your life,lied

Thank Goodness for that!Life gets better and better as you get better,never forget that!

Bonus Advice:Everything is going to turn out allright in the end!