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Hobbes's avatar

If you could give a message to your past self in fifty words or less, what would it be?

Asked by Hobbes (7371points) November 14th, 2013

And when and how in your life would you want to receive it?

Five years old seems about right to me: just old enough to understand or at least remember the message. I can imagine myself finding a note from future me when my family moved into the house in which I grew up, or maybe I’d just incorporeally whisper it in my own ear.

My message: Love and Magic are both real and imaginary. Your choices are yours, and you are your choices. Invest in Google and Apple, but be wary of technology. Be brave: fortune favors the bold. Developing self-discipline is the key to life, but live for Love. Keep playing fiddle and piano.

Well, that should take care of most of the cliches, anyway…

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28 Answers

SecondHandStoke's avatar

You’re gonna fucking love smartphones.

Pachy's avatar

Hey, 30-something Pachy, stop doing this every five minutes.

janbb's avatar

You can face a terrible change in your life and come out the better for it. Safety is an illusion and don’t sacrifice the quest for passionate engagement for it. You are braver than you think.

Hobbes's avatar

@SecondHandStoke

I’m pretty sure I used it correctly in all cases. You’re is a contraction of “you are” and your is a possessive adjective. Is there a typo somewhere I didn’t notice?

OneBadApple's avatar

Do not waste even one minute of your time playing golf. You are going to suck at it on your first day right on through to your last day, and will just be frustrated and throwing away a lot of money in between.

Use that time counting strokes on your guitars….

chyna's avatar

Your whole life is getting ready to change and not for the better. Be ready to buck up to the changes, but know this: you will survive and hopefully be a better person for it.

Hawaii_Jake's avatar

to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
by Wm. Shakespeare

I would like to have heard that at about age 9.

Hobbes's avatar

@SecondHandStoke

Your post just said “you’re”, and I assumed you were correcting my grammar, sorry.

LornaLove's avatar

Don’t always accept other’s truth. Find your own reason and your own voice. Never settle for sorrow and never allow guilt to hold you in a prison. Everything will be OK, all the fears you have will not occur unless you engineer it that way to create what you think is true.

Love is not what you think it is, right now, try and see past where you think you will find it.

Love yourself and be kind to yourself. Very few people out there will do it for you.

dxs's avatar

Stay off of Fluther.

SecondHandStoke's avatar

Don’t vote for Perot in ‘92.

It’s gonna get Clinton elected.

drdoombot's avatar

Target: 14–18 year old me.

“Young Doomy, you won’t always be the smartest guy in the room and school won’t always be easy. Learn how to sit down and develop good study habits now. Also, read more books. You’ll remember them more than 10 years of internet reading. And choose a career in health instead!”

trailsillustrated's avatar

step back and think long and hard before you do a thing I’m a risk taker

Mama_Cakes's avatar

It’s all gonna happen for a reason. Hang in there.

(this would be talking to my 16 year old self)

Haleth's avatar

Nobody gives a shit about your 8th grade mallgoth rebellion. You’re going to look back at this and feel very silly.

Pachy's avatar

This article, which I just came across, seems apropos to this thread.

Bluefreedom's avatar

About 19 years ago I’d like to tell myself…...“Don’t marry her (my first wife) because it’s going to end really badly both financially and emotionally!”

And these words of wisdom to myself:

The Man in the Glass

When you get what you want and you struggle for self
And the world makes you King for a day,
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your father, or mother, or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass,
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

He’s the fellow to please, never mind all the rest
For he’s with you right to the end,
And you know you’ve passed your most difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of life
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.

More than 50 words, I know. Sorry.

SQUEEKY2's avatar

If I could send a note to me twenty years ago,I would say watch your weight,it will get away from you.

hug_of_war's avatar

To me five years ago: Don’t waste time on that guy. He’s not a bad person but you’re going to waste years with someone who you share basic incompatibilities with and no amount of anything can change that fact. Don’t lie to yourself or 4 years later you’re going to realize just how far both of you could lie to yourselves. You probably won’t find anyone else, but it’ll be okay, even when it feels like it won’t ever be.

Coloma's avatar

Finish your education before you marry a bozo and become a mommy.

Valerie111's avatar

You should have loved reading as much as you do now when you were in school.

ucme's avatar

“You, yes you, become a fucking fantastic Dad to two wonderful kids, a son & a daughter…so neat & perfect.”

elbanditoroso's avatar

You should marry girlfriend <Z>, not girlfriend <A> because <A> turned out to be disaster.

hearkat's avatar

To my 10-year-old self, I would say:

You are innocent and do not deserve abuse – you have no reason to feel ashamed. You are worthy of love, respect and happiness.
You can not control anything but what you do with this moment. Choose wisely.
Buy Apple stock in early July 1997; sell some on Sept. 21, 2012.

Dutchess_III's avatar

Just…don’t do it.

NomoreY_A's avatar

Don’t worry, be happy. It will all come out in the wash. “This too, shall pass”.

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