Seven Things I’d Tell My Younger Self

Photo Credit: Me in Amsterdam.

Hopefully as you get older you learn a thing or two about a thing or two, and those things may make you consider how your younger self may have benefited from that knowledge. With that in mind, here are seven things I would tell my teenage self if I could chat with her today:

1. Get Rid of Anything That Doesn’t Bring You Joy
   Yes, I am on the Marie Kondo bandwagon. I love her and her philosophy of surrounding yourself with racks or bookcases or what-have-you of joy! It makes so much sense. Our belongings often carry memories and memories carry meaning, and not all memories are joyful. Do you need trinkets from your exes or gifts you didn’t really want? No! You are not helping anyone by hurting yourself with belongings you don’t need. So, give yourself some life-changing magic, and pick up Marie Kondo’s book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. (Sad Note: This book didn’t actually come out until I was twenty years old but that would’ve been a good time to pick it up as well).
2. Keep Your Spheres Clean (AKA Keep Your Room Tidy)
   Kind of backpacking off the last one but beyond just shearing down belongings, actually keeping what belongings you have tidy makes a huge difference. Everything is happier if it has a place. As humans, we are susceptible to having difficulty concentrating if spaces are not tidy. Thus, more tidiness = more sanity and concentration…