Hello,
Today's blog is going to be a bit different. For a start it's not about writing. I always see teenagers and young twentysomethings on Twitter and Facebook grumbling, moaning, and generally being a bit sad about life. You see when I was that young (twenty years ago), we didn't have social media. We had Teletext. We had toilet doors to write on, and a 'selfie' was something else completely. Life was very different, but I started wondering if we were as whinny and troubled as today's youth. I have no idea, but it gave me the idea for this blog. I'm going to be forty next year and so I thought I'd ask the question: what advice would I give my twenty year old self.
1. The most important thing you get with age is perspective. When I was twenty I cared so much what other people thought of me, but now I really don't care. It really doesn't matter what anyone thinks of you. The only person that matters is you. Be brave, go after what's important to you, regardless of what anyone else says.
2. I wish I'd known when I was twenty that it was possible for me to be a writer. I mean, of course I knew it was possible, but I didn't believe it was. I spent years not really writing because I didn't believe I could do it and make a living from it. I lacked self-belief, but now I realise that the only person who can make all your dreams come true is you. Whatever it is you really want to do just do it and don't let fear get in the way.
3. Life is short. When you're young you never imagine you'll be thirty, let alone forty. It feels so far away. But trust me, it happens much quicker than you expect. Don't waste time on friends that let you down, make you unhappy, don't stay in that job you hate because you're afraid of leaving, and....well this leads me onto point 4.
4. Travel. I was lucky enough to spend a year travelling and it was the most fun I've ever had and I learnt more about myself in that year than the previous twenty combined. I travelled alone and loved it so much. It really does change you. So if you're 18 or 28, and you're thinking about it...STOP and just do it because trust me, it's something you can only do like that when you're young, before the responsibility of careers, marriage, kids, etc. Of course I still plan on travelling a lot with my wife and kids, but that first year away, young, single, alone in the world for the first time, is something you'll never, ever regret.
5. OK, lastly, because you're young and anymore than 5 points you'll start drifting off, playing XBox, or watching hilarious videos on YouTube. You kids today, no attention span. Anyway. My last point. The last thing I'd tell my 20 year old self. Be nice to people. I think I always knew this and I always tried to be a good person, but as I get older I realise how many people in the world are just miserable buggers. Don't be. Choose to be good. Choose to be polite. Choose to be happy. Choose to be nice because you'll be happier and you'll surround yourself with other happy people too. Life is better when you smile.
OK young people. If you made it this far...well done. I hope something in this blog speaks to you. I know I'm just an old man waffling on about things that probably seem like a bunch of rubbish to you. But one day you'll be nearly forty too. Trust me, it's going to happen, and I hope when it does you've achieved all your dreams and that you're happy. Because you can be happy. You don't have to be grumpy. You don't have to complain about everything. And stop eating McDonald's, it's really bad for you.
Until next time.
Hugs,
Jon X
Ps: A few more that just came to me:
6. If you fancy someone just ask them out. Don't be afraid because it's never as big a deal as you think. I was sitting on a bed once with a girl I really fancied, had liked for a really long time, and didn't make my move and I regretted it for a very long time. The pain of regret lasts a lot longer than the pain of rejection.
7. Things don't happen for a reason. The world is random, we have free will, and success, a million pounds, or the job of your dreams isn't just going to fall into your lap because it was "meant to be".
8. Don't ever be jealous of anyone. We all have our demons.
9. Stay fit. Trust me, it's a lot harder to shift that weight in your thirties. Go to the gym.
10. Be nice to your parents. We just want what's best for you.
