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Casen Askew

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What advice would you give a younger you?

Consider, for a second, your life. Consider all of the life lessons you've learned and the experiences you've undergone during your brief existence here. Consider the trials and tribulations you've faced and the lessons you've learned "the hard way." If you could write a letter to you, at any point in your life, and give yourself as much advice as you saw fit, what would you say? Would you remind yourself that life goes on? Would you promise that things always get better no matter how terrible they might seem? Would you take the philosophy of Frank Sinatra and explain to your younger self that "That's Life"? Would you plead with yourself to turn to God sooner? Would you warn yourself to stay away from soda, salt, and red meat?

Of course, this arouses the argument of "I like my life the way it is now, and everything that happened happened for a reason thus I would not change anything." If that is your stance, then I pose another question: What advice would you give to a younger being? Age, culture, ethnic background, and special circumstances are arbitrary, irrelevant, and up to you.

This is your chance, here and now, to give any and all of the advice you've found so essential to happiness and well being, to a youth that might sincerely need it.

______
P.S. I created a duplicate post of this question to allow those who have not found this page yet to continue to engage in an exercise that leads them to inspire others, motivate themselves, and allow those who really need your advice to easily receive it.

To answer this question after the expiration date go to:
http://www.ted.com/conversations/12962/what_advice_would_you_give_a_y_1.html

Topics: A letter to you Life Lessons advice happiness life
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    Mike Sha

    • +2
    Aug 1 2012: Spending at least 1 hour thinking deeply (for learning to think)

  • Qyv Qyv

    • +1
    Aug 1 2012: Which has better lines? The Princess Bride? Or The Guide?

    "Printed in LARGE... Friendly letters... DON'T PANIC!"

  • Juniper Blue 10+

    • +3
    Aug 1 2012: Hey Younger Me,

    Try to not take this whole "life" thing so seriously. You are "good enough" .. just as you are. You have a good heart and you will always try your best. (In fact, it is your nature to try too hard!!) Focus less on how to do things the "right" way and follow your heart .. it will lead you .. even to your BLISS .. and yes .. it is okay to feel BLISS ... In fact, you are here to feel some bliss.

    You don't have to be miserable to show that you care about the suffering around you. Think about it .. how can your misery do anything to heal anyone or anything on this planet?? Might it not even contribute to the suffering around you?

    This may be hard for you to believe because you are so young and life has been very hard thus far, but happiness is a part of this human expereince. Believe me ... there will be enough pain in your future (and you have survived enough already) ... So please do not deny yourself the pleasure that you find.

    And remember ... all that love that you are pouring into others is only going to last if you share it generously with yourself. That "smell the roses" philposophy is really a good fit for you .

    So .. it's okay ... take your time kid ... smell the roses and know that you too are a part of this beautiful garden. Just be YOU. Tend the garden .. care for youself .. you will bloom... you are blossoming already.


    And one more thing ... You know all that "life goes fast" talk that older folks are always muttering about?? Well .. it is true ... so very true.

    Start loving yourself now. UNCONDITIONALLY.

    I wish you love, happiness, gentleness that the knowing that you are WORTHY of these good things.



    Much love to you Younger Me,

    Juniper Blue
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    Christophe Cop 500+

    • +2
    TED AttendeeTEDx OrganizerAssociate
    Jul 31 2012: Very nice philosophical question (and amusing)...

    Maybe the answer is the advise you give to your children...

    I would probably try to push the person towards curiosity and critical thinking.
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    Daniel Sheehan 20+

    • +1
    Jul 31 2012: You (I) could do it sooner and better.

    Also, loan Bill Gates some money to buy a Heath Kit.

  • Qyv Qyv

    • +1
    Jul 31 2012: Very, very well constructed question.

    Let's go with:

    "Curiously enough, the only thing that went through the mind of the bowl of petunias as it fell was Oh no, not again. Many people have speculated that if we knew exactly why the bowl of petunias had thought that we would know a lot more about the nature of the universe than we do now."
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      Casen Askew

      • 0
      Jul 31 2012: That scene is probably my favorite scene from that book/movie!
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    Mario Denis

    • +5
    Jul 30 2012: Seek information, make your own experiment, draw your own conclusions.
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      Debra Smith 200+

      • +2
      Jul 30 2012: For me it would be:Stop worrying! Pick the hardest, most interesting thing you can find and keep going!
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        Mario Denis

        • 0
        Jul 30 2012: Yea stop worrying is a good one :)
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    Yuguo Zhang 100+

    • +2
    TED Translator
    Jul 30 2012: Cherish everything I have, without the pressure, being able to hang out with friends to have some fun. Also always be nice to my parents.

  • Jerri Bluett

    • +2
    Jul 30 2012: I would remind my youthful self that spending more time taking care of me, allows everyone else around me to BE BEtter.

  • Stan-The Man-ley Winnings

    • +4
    Jul 29 2012: As much as you believe you know it all and been through it all, you have. Heed the advice of your mom all she is trying to do is help. She might come across in the worse ways but its because she been through so much in her life that she doesnt know any way else to say it. Forgive your dad, even though it seems impossible to do so. Cherish the moments who have with your grandmothers, they love you so very much and need you for strength. Your friends have feelings too so watch what you say and most of all what you do. Open your heart more and don't be so hard on yourself when you succeed at everything. Continue to find God and make him first in your life. And most of all, be happy. Don't let anyone or anything depress you, with time your pain and suffering shall pass.

  • Velina Vateva

    • +3
    Jul 29 2012: Perhaps I would say a lot, forgetting the most important but then "the most important" is quite personal and that's how it should be so it is gonna be ok even like this, even more - because of this. What I would have liked to have known back then is that there is no shame to take yourself as a beginner but most probably back then I would not be able to see it the way I do now. So the next is that every time comes with its reasons, images, lessons, still you can always approach any matter in a better way, you can always change and not be afraid to explore no matter the age but only when you know what you are doing and really taking the responsibility - in the meaning of being able to explain to yourself and, if necessary, to any person involved in the situation, what you did and why you did it, simply being consious and present, without overdoze of fooling around. Sure, be reckless, passionate, totally crazy but just for the sake of joy. Listen to music, listen to yourself (go for a ride or a walk in a place you think you know so very well and try to see it as if for the first time), look at people and their reactions (without your interest standing in their way), consider your reactions as if from a distance, travel and while you travel talk with the people you meet, not push it, if the conversation happens, most of the times it's in a very natural and, risking to sound pathetic, nourishing way, just because usually it gives some food for thought, at least gets you out of your nest and you start thinking about other matter, different from yours and still they lead you to your matters hopefully in a better way. The distance sometimes can be a great chance to have a closer view. Read whatever you love, find new authors, share what you have read, discuss or simply tell the story, share your passion, do the things you love whenever you can but again don't rush it, it works with your presence (not with your intervention). Don't be afraid to risk. Love, love, love.
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    Sue Ryan

    • +4
    Jul 29 2012: Draw that moral and ethical line in the sand...and then do the very best you can to honor it.

    Be the best human being you can be.
    Observe, listen carefully and walk that mile in the shoes of others before you speak.
    Be honest without being hurtful.
    Be fair without splitting the baby.
    Be respectful to all people and in all things be humble.
    Seek knowledge in all the disciplines you can and never stop learning.
    Love unconditionally.

    You won't always be successful, but always give it your best shot.
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    Ramiro Benavides

    • +2
    Jul 28 2012: It's not easy. Maybe you have to keep dreaming, doing what you think is up to you, but being aware of the following: everything you did yesterday have configured the person who you are right now, and everything you do today will influence tomorrow not only yourself, but EVERY PERSON and THING you even won't meet or imagine whether they exist. Remember: you live in a great theatrical setting. If you love beauty and simplicity, you have to give the best of you for the improving of Humankind.
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    Hue Vu

    • +1
    Jul 28 2012: Loving and Sharing!

  • Andrew Hu

    • +1
    Jul 28 2012: I would say ' hey , don't eat so much, keep a good shape and find a beautiful girlfriend then give your first kiss to her'
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    Wade Crum

    • +2
    Jul 28 2012: I would say share your thoughts, don't keep all those crazy ideas to yourself.
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    Julie Leon

    • +2
    Jul 28 2012: You really are the center of the universe.

  • Bryan Yap

    • +4
    Jul 28 2012: You are better than you think you are.
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      Cheri Brewer

      • +1
      Jul 31 2012: or...
      You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
      – Winnie the Pooh
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    Edwin Tjoe

    • +5
    Jul 28 2012: A credit card is not the answer. Too many college students don't understand what debt is or how to be financially literate.
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    Gabo Moreno 100+

    • +4
    Jul 28 2012: Stop looking elsewhere for what you will find much closer to home.
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    Thin Ker

    • +4
    Jul 27 2012: I’ll talk to the blossoming young man me.
    Now you are a man. Now you can play according to your own rules.
    When you were a child you understood yourself, the others and the world through the beliefs and behaviors of your parents and significant adults.
    When you were a child, you had the experience of a child, you thought like a child and you understood like a child.
    When you were a child you made most of your belief system.
    My dear intelligent young man! Since the childhood when you made your belief system:
    How many books and articles did you read?
    How many knowledge did you gain through your senses?
    How many persons did you interact with, who had different sets of beliefs than yours?
    How many situations did you go through and how did you experience them according to your beliefs?
    My dear! Do you accept that an intelligent, experienced, skilled, well-educated man like you lives with sets of beliefs made by a cute little child?
    My dear! Examine your beliefs and decide according to all what you gathered through your life tell now, which beliefs you want to keep and which you want to change with other more developed ones.
    My dear! Don’t be afraid to let the dysfunctional beliefs go. Don’t be afraid of losing your identity if you lost some beliefs. You are not your beliefs. You were not born with these beliefs. You already existed before these beliefs and you will still be there after letting them go. You are not your beliefs. You created your beliefs in the past and you may update them now and believe me, even the updated beliefs are not the final versions. In your coming days you’ll know more, experience more and understand more and you will update some beliefs if you saw that a new version would be more functional in the here and now.
    My dear young man! You make your beliefs and your beliefs make your life.
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    Charles Graffeo

    • +2
    Jul 27 2012: Even though there would be a laundry list of topics i would inform my younger self about, just thinking for a moment i kept coming back to only one. Do not be afraid to fail. For failure is the beginning of experience, experience is the opening to wisdom, and wisdom is the key ingredient to changing for the better.

  • Conor Corrigan

    • +3
    Jul 27 2012: You are lucky.

  • Simba P.K.S

    • +4
    Jul 27 2012: Love!

  • Pocahontas Water

    • +3
    Jul 25 2012: to listen the heart

  • Hilal Halil

    • +2
    Jul 25 2012: Live, love, believe, write.
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    Henk Mulder 10+

    • +2
    Jul 25 2012: The stuff you take so seriously, doesn't matter. The things that you think can wait, can't. But all in all, if you are healthy, you're 99% there.
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    João Mourão

    • +3
    Jul 25 2012: "Stay cool. Things are going to be tuff but you're even tuffer. So act like it without fear."
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    Chris Fox

    • +2
    Jul 23 2012: Read and write MORE!
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    Sym !

    • +2
    Jul 23 2012: Stop believing in things just because you born and saw that you HAVE to believe in it!
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