|
|
CTC Readers' Poll:
|
|
|
"I'd
advise a young me to change jobs always for the
higher pay. It is important when you get to
retirement age. Also, use
coupons. I've saved $501 and $419 respectively in
the last two months using coupons. It has taken me 1
1/2 yrs. to perfect it, but just think what I would
have saved from age 21, when I got my first
apartment, to age 64 which I'll be in 3
months." ~ Betty
"I would travel out of the country more, sightsee the US more, take a Windjammer course (sailing vacation). I would also have taken a job position that would have allowed me more than the traditional 2 week annual vacation. Now that I am older and wiser, I should have become self-employed long ago!" ~ Colleen
"I wish I had known that I didn't really
need all the 'stuff' I thought I did!
Instead of buying something 'because I like
it,' I wish I would have stopped to question
whether I truly NEEDED it, especially with my
hobby items. I also wish I would have worked a
second part-time job when I was younger to
become more financially secure, because it's a
lot harder to catch up or stay ahead now as a
single parent with 2 kids. Thirdly, I wish I
could tell my younger self to grow a stronger
backbone and stand up more for myself and
what I believe in. My life would have been
much happier if I wasn't so focused on caving
into other people's demands instead of
following my own values." ~ Carolyn
"Don't be
in such a hurry to do what your friends are
doing at the moment, like getting married too
young and having children too soon! Find
yourself first before you look for a spouse!"
~ DS - Las Vegas
"I would like
to have given myself the advice of saving for
a rainy day. My family never had any
extra $$$ to spare so we never saved. At one
time in our marriage we were doing very well
financially but we spent everything and also
racked up the charge cards. How stupid.
Things changed quickly and we could have used
that $$. We spent years digging out and I'm
not sure that we are all the way out yet.
Another thing I wish I could have known was
not to take raising my kids so seriously. I
wish I had been a little more laid back and
taken the time to laugh more and be silly with
them. I was too worried about them growing up
proper that I don't suppose I was much fun."
~ Sandy
"My
advice would be, 'Time
is better than money.'" ~ Nuria
"Advice to the younger me: Be patient and understanding of people who don't share your own beliefs. As long as no one is being hurt physically, mentally or emotionally, be open to different ways of life." ~ Sandy in CA "This is something I got in an email that I would like to tell the younger me. It is by Maya Angelou: 'A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.'" ~ Stephanie
"'Enjoy
life; it is short,' The one thing I
wish for in the past was not to be
afraid of being different and not
following the crowd. I was shy and
wanted to be liked. Now, I look back
and wish I had listened to some of my
high school teachers...I was afraid to
do the things I liked to do, theater,
art classes, because it 'wasn't cool'
with the 'in' crowd.
Be yourself, and like yourself. Sometimes it is better to be alone and happy with who you are, than to run with the crowd and not be happy." ~ Liz "If I were to give a younger me any advice it would be to SAVE, SAVE, SAVE. My parents didn't counsel me or my siblings on how to handle money so we had to learn the hard way. I realize that money isn't everything, but it does allow choices (the one we are pondering....can I retire early?). I'm sure I sound like a broken record to my kids but every time they bring home a paycheck I tell them 'SAVE, SAVE, SAVE.'" ~ Rhonda "What I wish I had known early on was how to deal with conflict appropriately. As an adult I see people go ten miles out of their way to avoid a conflict instead of dealing with it head on and resolving the problem. Kids should be taught effective conflict management skills at an early age; those skills would serve them well for the rest of their lives." ~ Lynn "As to the question, 'What advice would you give to a younger you?,' I would say: 'STOP WORRYING!' I read a quote somewhere that said, 'Worrying is like being in a rocking chair; it gives me something to do but it doesn't get me anywhere.' I have spent my life worrying about things and looking back, hardly any of those things came true . I've wasted a lot of time worrying, making myself miserable for things that never ended up even happening! So that's my advice to a young me (and a 43 year old me too!)." ~ Kristina "I would tell the younger me (especially in high school) that it really doesn’t matter what other people think. Just keep working on yourself, be happy, and don’t worry about what other people are saying or doing. Be true to yourself and do what you like to do, even if you are the only person who likes to do it. If it makes you happy, then that’s all that counts." ~ Michelle "I'm 62 and something I have learned over the years is that things always look better in the morning. A good night's sleep and a new day can change your perspective entirely." ~ SM
"I
have always wanted all the answers NOW!
I've learned that God isn't like that.
He gives us what we need, as we need it."
~ Candy
"I have learned that when I am unhappy, I always have the option to be happy. If I cannot find the solution to the problem, I can always find a detour around it. I spent my 20s and 30s worrying about things that never happened and making myself miserable doing it. Each morning when I get up I make up my mind to be happy or unhappy. It's up to me; not anybody else. I am 56 now and wasted many precious days fuming and fretting over petty things. The time can never be made up, but I can be happy and content in all things for the rest of the time that the Lord gives me. Get bad things and bad people out of your life as much as possible. Life is too short to be unhappy even one day!" ~ Kathy
"I
would tell the younger me to be less
concerned about whether others would
approve of my life choices or actions,
and just follow my heart." ~
Anonymous
Editor's Note: Thanks to all these readers who took time to write! |