What advice would you give to your younger self?

Ferrosol said:

There's this thing called bisexuality that you may want to look up, if it doesn't make sense now don't worry about it, it will in 20 years.

I suspect that sex and sexuality was a cause of some concern/anguish to many of us (as it was me).

1. Don't go to University - it won't work out well for you. 

2. There's this thing called bisexuality that you may want to look up, if it doesn't make sense now don't worry about it, it will in 20 years.

3. Never apologise for who and what you are. 

I'd probably tell my younger self to keep up a writing and drawing habit through school and university years, that practical experience ultimately counts for more than qualifications, and that you don't need the latest & greatest hardware and/or software to make amazing things.

I'm not sure if I could persuade them to pay more attention to saving for the future, particularly a personal pension, but I'd try.

dont fit try and fit in with the normies its a fruitless effort that will only leave you feeling empty being inauthentic. 

A SQUARE PEG DOESN'T GO IN A ROUND HOLE

Be yourself, not a people pleaser. 

B said:

I would like the wisdom of my 64 year old self with the body and health of my 24 year old self.

EXACTLY

This isn't serious, but I'd say: when you grow up, you will really love science. So why not to start studying early?

1. Don't be people pleaser, don't push yourself to try to be like others

2. Don't listen to your mom's gaslighting 

I don’t know if my younger self would have listened, 

Don’t start drinking

Most autistic people aren’t actually like Rain Man.

Would have telling myself I’m autistic made life any better? I don’t think so, knowledge was limited and I would have been totally ostracised.

It’s a bit like buying crypto years ago and knowing it would be okay in the future.  Without the definite knowledge, the journey would have been no better, if that makes sense?  

Me too, B.

I think, I'd tell myself no to believe what others say so readily. I don't think its the same as people pleasing, but more about being insecure and knowing you're not quite the same as others, wanting to be "normal" and not knowing how. I think I'd be much more sceptical about what partners or potential partners said.

But most of all I'd like to tell myself that it all works out OK

Sex and sexuality caused me quite a lot of anguish in my younger days too, albeit for different reasons.

I would like the wisdom of my 64 year old self with the body and health of my 24 year old self.

1. Be less of a people pleaser

2. Don't have kids

3. Move away from your home town as soon as possible

4. Focus on doing what you really love, like music, art, writing

5. Don't worry about being judged by others for your interests/life choices

Ultimately, I would want to convince my younger self to become agnostic atheist, rather than Protestant.

I was deeply afraid of being called gay, so on top of already being a bit girl-crazy I was desperate to constantly have a girlfriend to prove my heterosexuality. That was wrong on so many levels (I was literally homophobic and didn’t realize it). I also would have benefitted from being told that Hell isn’t real. I was so deeply afraid of being punished eternally for even the slightest sin, so here I was completely girl-crazy and girlfriend-focused but afraid of sex. I think that caused way more internal turmoil than what it was worth. Once I knew how to have safe and consensual sex, why frustrate myself so much over that?

One thing I’m not sure I’d want to tell my past self is that deep down I am polyamorous. I like the idea of doing that and seeing how fulfilling that could be to just be myself without worrying so much about traditional Christian values of monogamy, but then again… Maybe I’d end up stabbed and left in a ditch somewhere, too. Idk about that, maybe it’s best I learned that when I did lol.