35 Things I Would Tell Younger Me

An experience and memory I love- traveling through Italy with friends

Writing a letter to your younger self is an amusing and enlightening exercise in self-reflection. As I was thinking about my current age, and the age of myself I’d be speaking to, I realized these 35 truths transcend every age. I’d tell myself these things when I was 12, 25, as well as yesterday years old.

Dear younger Dodi,

1.     Practice finding things you love about yourself and enjoy getting to know your gifts and passions.

2.     Learn to get still and focus on your breath. Later you will call it meditation, for now let’s just say it’s being comfortable with total stillness and listening to God inside you.

3.     Don’t be afraid… of failure, of losing, of mistakes, of money, of breakups, of death, of others’ opinions of you, of anything. Live fearlessly.

4.     Laugh and laugh and laugh some more.

5.     Wear sunscreen. Every day. Especially on your face. For the love of nice skin, please do it immediately.

6.     Learn to laugh at yourself and don’t take things personally.

7.     Find movement you love doing and do it often. Try everything: surfing, kayaking, volleyball, belly dancing, snowboarding, bungee jumping, sky diving. Try it all.

8.     Wear bright colors and patterns. You may go through a black and grey phase because you think it’s efficient, but it isn’t really you. Remember how colors make you feel, and enjoy dressing that way.

9.     Don’t be so hard on yourself. Talk to yourself with loving kindness like you would your best friend.

10.  Travel every chance you get.

11.  Love your body. I mean really appreciate it. All the time. Tomorrow it ages a little more.

12.  Never stop learning. You may think you don’t want to go to grad school, but it ends up being one of the best experiences of your life.

13.  Spend your money on experiences rather than things. Go on that epic island hopping adventure in the BVI’s!

14.  Try new things as often as you can. Foods, sports, shows, activities, roller coaster rides, classes, dance styles- try them all.

15.  Give people the benefit of the doubt. Just assume they’re all doing the best they can.

16.  Get comfortable with failure. It’s often the only impediment to success. Go look up impediment.

17.  Don’t worry so much about what others think of you. Remember they’re usually so busy thinking of themselves, they are not too concerned with you.

18.  Take a cooking class. You’ll fall in love with mixing and matching flavors and discovering tastes from different countries. It’s fun!

19.  Don’t be afraid to be the first one to be real and be vulnerable. Often people have had the same experiences that you’ve had, and they will appreciate your honesty and courage for sharing.

20.  Start a costume box. And bust them out on Halloween AND a minimum of 7 more times each year.

21.  Find someone that makes you laugh uncontrollably. Keep them close.

22.  Read all the books! They will teach you, challenge you, encourage you, and take you on magical journeys.

23.  The sooner you can learn that alcohol makes you feel like crap, the better you will feel.

24.  Set specific goals and keep them in front of you. Try and do just one thing daily that will move you one step closer to your goal.

25.  Develop habits that help make you the best you can be. And if you miss a day, treat it like no big deal, and get right back to it.

26.  Get outside as often as possible. The mountains will teach you. The ocean will heal you. The sky will speak to you. Trees will love you. Nature is therapeutic.

27.  Be unapologetically weird! Have fun with it. Others will enjoy the freedom you express and be inspired to do the same.

28.  Practice mindful presence. Be totally in the present moment. From a conversation, to brushing your teeth, to a hug, to a meal, to a walk outside. Just do one thing and be all in with all your senses.

29.  Put your fork down between bites and take a small sip of water. Eat with all five senses and check in on your fullness to stop before you get uncomfortably full.

30.  Get a dog. They will make you a better person.

31.  Your childhood wasn’t easy. Go to therapy and do the work to heal.

32.  Listen to your body. Do what it says.

33.  Love and appreciate your friends. Stay connected. They become family.

34.  Be kind. When the light turns green, wait a few seconds before you beep to give the person a chance to get going.

35.  See your life as a precious gift. Write a list of things you want to do before you die. Then live the next month as if you only have one month left to live. You are precious!!

What you would add to the list to tell your younger self?