I wish I knew then what I know now. We say that all the time (us old folks or anyone over the age of 30) but what exactly do we wish we knew then?
I have a list…
– I wish I knew that sun-tanning was really bad for you. That sitting under the sun or in a tanning bed not only exposed your skin to possible cancer but contributes directly to the pre-mature aging of skin. This is one of the things you can’t “un-do” from your reckless youth.
– I wish I knew that it doesn’t matter how young or “clueless” you are, you simply can’t undo mistakes or careless behavior (for youth, think social media posts and pictures)
– I wish I knew then all of the amazing things I know now about eating well and nutrition. With so many new discoveries over the past few years regarding “clean eating”, “superfoods”, DHAs, EPAs, olive oil, flax, saturated and unsaturated, supplements, chia seeds, quinoa etc… we are all much more equipped now to fuel our bodies with cancer-fighting, holistic goodness than even 5 years ago.
– I wish I knew then that a smart, confident, athletic woman is a sexy woman
– I wish I knew then that sometimes men “just aren’t into you” and that is OK.
– I wish I knew that planning for your future and your education is important
– I wish I knew that no one has ever been, nor will ever be, perfect
– I wish I knew then that no matter what you want to be “when you grow up” is exactly what you should do if it will make you happy and love what you do
– I wish I knew then that blue eye-shadow isn’t for everyone
– I wish I knew then that you should always dress for your body and not for fads
– I wish I knew then that it’s ok, and even amazing, to beat your boyfriend at sports or games or be smarter or funnier than him
Although I can’t go back and turn back time, I know I can take all of this incredible “knowledge” and do two things: 1) continue to improve on myself, grow, blossom and evolve and 2) share this wisdom with my young daughters, nieces and all of the fabulous young women in my life.