Advice To My Younger Self

As a woman in my early 50's I have some life experiences under my belt. The older I get the more they have revealed themselves to me.

For anyone reading this, in no way am I indicating I am unhappy with the man I chose to live the rest of my life with, or my living circumstances, there are just a few things I have learned along the way that would have most likely spiked up the quality of my life and my relationship with myself and this world.

Here they are in no specific order:

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You can fall in love with a rich man just as easily as you can a poor one. Financial struggle is a long, hard road and very real.

Better yet, don't rely on someone else to support you. Learn a useful trade. Make your own money. Have your own savings/retirement. Be independent.

Speaking of retirement. YOU WILL need it one day, so this one is a must.

Don't lose yourself in someone else. Getting married and having children can make this happen. Remember, there is still a YOU.

Taking chances and chasing dreams are for the birds. Most of the time you lose - unless your the lucky type.  Play it safe. The grass is not always greener on the other side. Water and fertilize your own grass.

Wear the pants in the family. ALWAYS wear the pants in the family. Make the leader be you. You're the only one with any God Damn sense anyway.

You don't have to say yes. Sometimes making sure someone else is happy results in your own unhappiness. Selfishness is good. Make yourself happy before you try to ensure anyone else's happiness. To each his own.

If you choose marriage, make sure your chosen one gets along well with his/her parents. You don't need someone with "mommy and daddy" issues. They will carry that baggage with them and unload it on your relationship and you will end up feeling responsible for a situation that has absolutely nothing to do with you.

If you lay with the dogs, you wake up with the fleas. If you are the smartest one in the room, you are in the wrong room.

LOVE YOURSELF.  Make decisions that will benefit you. Think with your head not your heart. This will save you a lifetime of heartache.

Think long and hard about the decisions you make. Some of the outcomes will follow you the rest of your life and can't easily be rectified.

You are a lot prettier than you think you are. When you reach the age of 50 and your eyes aren't as bright, your skin is pale and sagging, and the wrinkles appear, only then will you realize you were a lot prettier than you thought you were. Take full advantage of your youth in any and every way possible. Smile for the camera.

TRAVEL anywhere and everywhere!!!!!!

If I have any young readers, I hope you take heed to my list and spare yourself some misery along the way. I can no longer help myself, but I hope I can at least plant seeds of wisdom in someone else's mind.