What would you tell your 18 or 25 year old self?

[WJK]

I tell myself to aggressively seek therapy and get to the root of your shame and fear.

I believe it's our childhood traumas that create the undesirable circumstances we face in our lives.

I had a friend kill himself because he had unresolved traumas and had he had been more proactive and respecting of that process he would not only be alive today but he would be thriving.

That's what I would say to my 18 year old self.

Or, our childhood traumas can be the inspiration that fuels our lives. Adversity is NOT the destructive root of all evil. It tempers us, giving us strength and flexibility. It's also just an event or fact that we can choose to reframe. The story can be retold from a different point of view. I am no one's victim. In my journey, I am a hero who accepted the lemon I was given. From that sour situation, I have made a nice pitcher of lemonade that soothes the parched throats of everyone around me. My determined attitude and fortitude allow me to live out that hero's role that I have given myself in this story. It's all bound up in your personal choices.

 

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[Andy Black]

Was skimming this thread and this comment jumped out at me:

Making money is simple - numerous forum posts on here detail exactly how to do it. The discipline and humility required to execute on the knowledge gained is the hard part

 

[ekateriv]

For me:

1. The "no brainer" decisions are the ones you should question the most.
2. Just because you're winging it doesn't mean you're a fraud or a failure.
3. Trust your gut. A million times this.
4. Worry less about what other people think and stop trying to please or impress your parents or strangers especially if you don't find *them* all that impressive.
5. Know the difference between cumulative and single-event probabilities.
6. Stop wasting time arguing with others. Focus on achieving your goals instead.

See the pattern? At the end of the day it's all about mindset. I grew up quite anxious because it was drilled in my head early that I was not good enough. I could've saved myself a lot of stress and some trips to ER in my early twenties if I had a little more faith in myself and the belief that everything's gonna be okay as long as I work on my goals. I also wasted a lot of time trying to fit into the conventional frame of success, which I ultimately did and am now trying to leave behind.
There were warnings. In my mid-twenties I briefly dated two different fastlaners and when I told them I have an admission secured to a top business school, both asked me "are you going?". One flat out told me that I have an entrepreneur DNA and I should skip the BS school. They were literally the only persons who ever questioned it - it was a no-brainer for everyone else. I'm still paying off those loans and it's been an expensive lesson to learn, but I've also learned to forgive myself and ultimately I'm happy where I am and pretty excited about where I'm headed - even if it took some detours.

 

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[Antifragile]

What advice would you give to your 21 year old self?

When you're 21, there's a lot of things that you think you know for sure. But in reality, you're just starting to learn about life and all of its complexities.

The best advice I would give to my 21 year old self is to own my situation. I am where I am because of the decisions I have made. I am responsible. And the future will come about from new decisions that I make. So, it is important to focus on providing value to as many people as possible. This will help me grow as a person and as an entrepreneur. By helping others, I will be able to achieve more in life and business.

Here are other lessons I learned along the way:

1. Always be learning. No matter how successful you become, there's always more to learn. Keep reading, attending seminars and networking with other business owners. The more knowledge you have, the better equipped you'll be to succeed.
2. Don't give up. There will be times when things don't go the way you planned, and you'll feel like giving up. But don't let those negative thoughts take over - push through the tough times and keep going.
3. Stay focused on your goals. It's easy to get sidetracked by things that aren't important, but if you want to be successful, you need to stay focused on what you're trying to achieve. Write your goals down and refer to them often to keep yourself on track.
4. Don't be afraid to ask for help. There's no shame in admitting that you don't know something and asking for help. In fact, most successful people have a strong network of mentors and advisors they can rely on for support.
5. Believe in yourself. You're your own biggest advocate, so believe in yourself and your ability to succeed. When you have confidence in yourself, others will too.

Special thanks to @Hanabi for prompting this thread:

I'm not personally interested in RE development at my stage in life right now, perhaps in the future. I think others on the forum interested in entering RE would love it. However, I listened to your interview on Kak's podcast, and I really enjoyed it. It was the first episode of his I listened. I like your thought process about entrepreneurship. If you wrote a post about the biggest lessons you learned on your entrepreneurship journey, mindset changes to take your business to the next level, tactics you've used to enter a hard business field, leveraging capital effectively, life wisdom in general, and etc., I think it would be cool and beneficial for a lot of us. If not, I guess I'll be the one eager person to read it.

Here are my answers (and thanks for asking!):

"post about the biggest lessons you learned on your entrepreneurship journey"​

It is not about me. The world doesn't care about what I want, what I love to do etc. No one cares!

The biggest lesson was when I failed a few businesses in my 20s. Back then I focused on money. I thought if I had an idea and a product - I'd be successful. But I don't bring anything valuable to the table! Obvious opportunities were obvious to everyone else too and I failed. There is a reason why tax accountants make more money than regular accountants - because tax is hard and no one wants to do it. Money is just the result of providing value. That's the biggest lesson. And the rest are the basis of this post, see above for the "What advice would you give to your 21 year old self?".

"mindset changes to take your business to the next level"​

@Kak made it sound like my business is this "next level" but in my mind it is not, not yet. It is still a start up with only 12 employees and a small downtown office. Real estate has large numbers, but I stand behind my opinion that now is not the time for me to talk about "next level". Ask me in 10 years again please.

"tactics you've used to enter a hard business field"​

Real Estate development is hard for two reasons: one, it is very complex and two, it requires large capital. Entry is incredibly hard. To do that I devised a simple plan. I needed to a) find experienced partners and b) learn how to raise capital. Then I got lucky when I landed a job that got me access to both. The rest is... as they say - history.

"leveraging capital effectively"​

How to use the available financial resources in a way that maximizes profits and minimizes risk?

There are a few things to consider when leveraging capital. First, it's important to make sure that the investment is worth the risk. There needs to be a good chance of getting a return on investment, or ROI. Second, it's important to make sure that the company has the cash flow to cover the loan. And finally, it's important to make sure that the terms of the loan are favorable and that the interest rates are reasonable.

"life wisdom in general"​

I often ask myself "What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?" I then work on a plan to get it done.



This is a great way to end the first post and leave with the same question to readers: What advice would you give to your 21 year old self?

let's go...

 

[hexelbyte]

I'm 25 and here's what I would tell my 21 year old self:

1. It takes 1 year to learn then 1-2 years of failure (process), then a lifetime of reward.
2. If you want to try something new, give it 3 months. Give yourself quarterly reports. If it's going fine, continue otherwise quit.
3. Trust the process, do the process.
4. If you work for someone, they don't care about you. Ask yourself this, if the company made $1 billion tomorrow, how much will I get from that? Nothing because I'm paid wage.
5. Apply the 80/20 principle.
6. You can always lose weight. Start with a diet change. You don't need to do cardio or lift weights.
7. Always test your friends/ peers. Know their quirks so you aren't surprised.
8. Screw 401ks. It's money held hostage until you're dead at 60 years old. Consider it a blackhole.
9. Consider what advice you get from others. Ex: Why would I listen to a scrawny man about bodybuilding?
10. In this life, first impressions are everything.

 

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[WJK]

Find some old mentors in business and life could help you grow faster. That’s what “rich dad vs poor dad” is about.

In general you cannot outgrow from the prejudice of your own social class upbringings and conditioning.

The children of the elites (in business and politics) always got a head start early education on leadership and risk-taking which is not taught in schools.

The children of the professionals are not taught that, this leaves a big gap to be learnt painfully in adult life much later.

I don't believe that. I grew up poor. My Dad had a talent. He bought houses with no heat or indoor bathrooms. Yes, he eventually built the indoor bathroom. But, they didn't have heat in the last house until I was grown and gone. I decided when I was a kid, and could see my breath in the morning when I got up to go to school, that I was never, never, never going to live that way again. I learned to be an entrepreneur when I was a kid. I've worked every day since I was 11 years old. I started cleaning houses, babysitting, mucking horse stalls, watering the neighbors' plants, and mowing their lawns -- and that was more than 60 years ago. I was the kid in the neighborhood that everyone called on. I made 50 cents per hour. The minute I could get a work permit at 16, I started my first real job. I made $1.35 per hour -- student wages. At 18 they had to bump me to $1.85 per hour. I didn't learn how to do it as an adult. I learned one day and one job at a time as a kid after my grandmother died.

I have run rings around the spoiled rich kids around me. I can do more in less time with fewer resources. I have gotten my education -- 4 college degrees including a J.D.. And that doesn't count the endless list of professional classes.

I went to law school at night and on the weekends in my early 40s after my boys grew up and left home. I carried 9 grad units, a full load, while I worked 60 and 70-hour weeks. Yes, it was tough. I developed a practice while I was in law school being an expert witness and litigation support specialist in real estate matters. And I was working full-time as a commercial real estate appraiser -- before they licensed us. I'm still a Certified General RE appraiser, although I'm retired.

I've been officially retired for 21 years. I'm in my office this morning working like usual. I still hold 3 State licenses and and Federal license for different practices and business endeavors. I'm not very good at this retirement thing. This is my 48th year in the RE business. And we set up a huge commercial machine in the spare room of my office last night to start a new business. Oh, and there are 2 smaller machines to support the new business. And it has nothing to do with real estate.

No, I don't wanna out-grow my prejudices. I want to use my begins to my advantage. Counting yourself out because you started at the back of the pack is just an excuse. It can be, and should be, an incentive to leapfrog over those trust fund babies. They lack motivation and courage -- they are way too comfortable and stuck in place. They don't know how to claw their way out and find the sweet smell of victory at the top of the leap.

 

[GravyBoat]

Just say "NO" to Amway.

ignore Robert Himler. save 45 bux.

Instead of getting screwed by both of these (as I was close), I did enough research before hand and saved myself the trouble. I thought Amway was game-over when I found it, and that's been around for a long time! Glad I didn't buy into it. I'm only 18 so I still got a few more years to go

 

[GravyBoat]

Here's the line that made me decide to drop out of college:

Dude I just watched that last night. Such a good speech. It's funny how you can tell he didn't really agree with going to college (and never did himself), yet he was speaking at Harvard to the graduates...

 

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[cristian tello]

awesome thread for people under 25

 

[Mr.International]

Go with your Gut. This alone would have saved me years of frustration and 6 months in a network marketing company.

And as my Uncle always told me "Don't Let THE LITTLE HEAD DO THE THINKING FOR THE BIG HEAD." @IceCreamKid. Lol

 

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[Jamesdoesmith]

Stay single

noted

 

[AntEmpire]

Start now! For the love of gawd, start a business now!

 

[aa610]

don't marry him!

 

[BellaPippin]

Refuse to judge yourself for the time already wasted, that was in ignorance, now you know, no excuses from now on.

This one hit home, and I just turned 26 by the way. I tend to dwell on the fact that what I am striving to do 25-30 y/o I could have started at 20-25 (like many others). But it was not until I traveled to another country that I was fully convinced there was a better way of living and started immersing myself in learning about it. If I hadn't done what I did in my early 20's maybe I would not have started what I have now.

 

[Delmania]

1.) Get in shape
2.) Get help for your depression
3.) Get involved with social groups
4.) Don't be in a rush to get married
5.) Look into entrepreneurship

 

[dedroc]

Bump.

I’m not 25 yet - but I would remind him that when first starting out in anything, admit you know nothing and to learn from those who are where you want to be.

Being in the 1% doesn’t have to only be about money. Remember that guy from school who got along with everybody and was well liked? That guy in my opinion is part of the 1%. Provide value to everyone you come in contact with big or small.

Treat your family with respect. It doesn’t matter that they don’t share the same ambitions as you, family is everything.

 

[Raoul Duke]

Buckle up, Buckaroo!

 

[Locomote]

1. Read more!
2. Don't focus on making money... Focus on adding value first (and the money will soon follow)
3. Fail fast (If something truly isn't working don't wait so long to charge it) Fail bigger! (If you have a goal in mind double it, if you fail chances are you probably met your first target. If you don't fail you now know you need to aim higher next time!)

 

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[Fotis]

Build a freaking e-mail list of clients and prospects.

Read one book on critical thinking, not twenty. Invest the
rest of the time reading Dan Kennedy and Gary Halbert.

Realize that money is just the measuring stick. You don't
wish for "X money per month." You want the freedom and
peace of mind "X money per month" gives you.

 

[mowealth]

- Make your own choices before life makes them for you.
- Tomorrow will be better.
- Don't poison your future with the pain of the past.

 

[Michał Kóska]

Would my 25 year old self be capable of listening anyway?

For me, I'd want to let my 25 year old self know that you're on the right track.

That being you and helping people with no expectation of anything in return will be the makings of you.

I'd tell myself to not wait so long to have kids, they will bring you so much joy.

To not ride motorbikes because, whilst you won't know when you're dead, you'd absolutely break your parents hearts. Think more about your poor parents.

That when you have kids you'll get an inkling of what your parents did for you.

I'd tell myself to visit my parents and brother a whole lot more.

To NOT plan to travel the world, because everything you need is close to home.

To avoid people that made me feel I can't be myself - this will delay you being youself for decades.

To not agonise over the details.

That there is no such thing as failing, only learning.

Unless you put your hand in the same fire twice - that's just dumb.

That it's all part of the rich tapestry of life.

To never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest to you. (Mother Theresa)

To not spend so long doing the same thing as an IT contractor. Your personal and professional growth will stagnate.

To enjoy the journey.

To appreciate each and every moment.

That nothing's so bad you can F*ck it up more by doing something stupid to try and fix it.

That people don't notice all the little things you do wrong. They're too preoccupied with themselves.

That people don't notice all the little things you do right. They're too preoccupied with themselves.

Don't listen to anything from people who start sentences with "You need to", "You must", "You should", or "You have to".

To pay more attention to how old folks let you make mistakes...because the people who've walked the walk know you're travelling your own path (and therefore don't start sentences with red flag phrases mentioned above).

Take deeper breathes.

Occasionally slow the F*ck down and take a moment to feel the wind on your cheek and watch the birds in the sky.

You don't need to be an expert.

To be interesting, be interested.

Keep moving.

It doesn't get easier. You get stronger.

Ask people how they're doing.

Look people in the eye when you say sorry.

The bigger man can say sorry.

Muscles doesn't mean you're strong.

You *can* do public speaking.

Stories rock. Keep filing them away.

We're all so unique and interesting.

Keep asking questions. People love it, and they open up like flowers.

Your CV isn't about you, but about what *they* want.

Learn how to help local business owners earlier... you're not going to like corporate life.

One day people will be able to work from home and start businesses from home. You'll love it, so don't worry about spending a few years in a cubicle.

Playing poker is like collecting stamps, it's not a glamorous and exciting sport like skiing.

Playing poker is another hourly rate j.o.b. and you're never going to be any good at it as you think in straight lines not onion layers.

Social media is just more of the same. Treat people like people and it doesn't matter the medium.

Spend your money on diesel and coffee.

There are people out there who will try to convince you that you don't know enough, aren't good enough, or are plain old not enough. Because you'll then buy their product.

You already know enough.

You're already good enough.

You are enough. Because you say you are.

Now go.

Start.

Legendary. Resonating so much with me.

 

[96wells]

I just turned 25 two weeks ago. Advice I would give myself at 18. I remember you struggling about going to college. These advices will make your time easier.

Good job. Don't hate yourself for what you could of done.

Heres a bit on how to get stuff done and stop procrastination:

Momentum: If you feel overwhelmed just start with one step in any positive direction. You need to gain momentum with something familiar and small, establish a process or habit or ritual (it's just how your brain works).

Thinking too much about your past? You won't be persistent if you keep thinking about the bad things.

Self-Forgiveness: Your environment dictate a lot of your behaviors. If you cannot change something then don't worry about it, but plan for when you're able. After, focus on now because it is the only time frame to take action. You can learn from the past, plan for the future, but you can only take action now.

A very important thing is your video game addiction...

Addiction: To quit video games simply cut the power cord of your computer and replace it with something less addicting like music or television or socialization. It's better to be addicted to television since your attention is more freed up.

Take the loss. (repeat this aloud)

It's better to never start an addiction but you cannot change the past. For the future, not all experiences are worth having, not all cycles are worth repeating. I'll tell you what's not worth having,

Gambling,
Pointless sex,
Bad friends,
Drugs, Alcohol excessively,

You're giving up control. Listen...

Sometimes you cannot help the fate you're dealt with. Sometimes you just didn't have the self-knowledge you gain from experience or second hand knowledge. Not all people are motivated by the same things, have the same capabilities, or start off at some sort of baseline.

Pray that you have the wisdom and process to not relapse.

A good thing to help with addiction is to have a support group, so you have to start treating people better...

Treating People: You don't need to be alpha or beta. From your own sufferings you will learn a base level of kindness to avoid unnecessary trouble and afterthought.

What you should learn is the ability to communicate honestly and trust yourself to do so. That way there would be less misunderstandings and troubled thoughts, let them free more.

You did get a job and that helped with the social isolation, one thing you learned is self reliance. It changed your brain and made you feel happier...

Self Reliance: At one point in your job you would realize that you are capable of doing most things by yourself. A marine would say to you, 'you see, he just learns by watching.'

Good job. You don't have debt, you never married, never did drugs or gambled... unfortunately I'm not sure about your health.

You have taken steps to building an ecommerce business and might take a freelance job to support it. I hope you get your job as a police officer so you get more experience and money to support your dreams.

Ok OK I know you thought about ecommerce at 18 but seriously, there is so much more knowledge out there now. Don't kill yourself thinking you could do it at 18. It's much easier to do it now. I just cannot explain it, your mental hurdle was too great and you didn't have shitty experiences to justify your self actions....

I hope you make it one day and achieve your dreams. I am still hoping and doing...

A few worth mentioning on people.

Everyone can make it, it's not a zero sum game.

Jealousy is a psychosis, a symptom of ignorance.

Refrain from reaching conclusions based on appearances.

Most of the time it is not about you. Don't take things personally, just ignore and move away or understand more.

This one is a game changer but it's hard, but here goes:
What you eat matters. It could change your whole perception about the world.

Triumph and Suffering: Ok last thing, the point about treating people better. You need to see triumph and suffering as the same. What I mean? Don't greatly exaggerate someone's success and start getting wide eyed about how that person can better your life etc. You will not only feel guilty about your own situation by comparison, most people would avoid you thinking you're parasitic.

It is a symptom of keeping your thoughts to yourself. You're reaching conclusions based on the superficial. You're not testing.

You can't help it. It is only natural to gain a better place. But, you can focus on what you can do instead of what other people can do. You can take small steps toward your own success. You can start caring about others and express that in words. Take self responsibility for your own success. Have some control. You'll want control after seeing so many people making stuff up.

Listen, if you truly don't give a f then you truly don't care if you're nice neither. You trust your own instincts and voices and you express yourself.

Be genuine. Even if other people accuse you, that have more to do with them than with you.

 

[Cnc1]

1.Stay away from loans.
2.Start reading business and biography books instead of watching TV.
3.Surround yourself with successful people.

 

[Caroline888]

Do not worry / care about what others think.
Follow your instinct and your heart.
Be brave and bold.
Act on your goals.

 

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[Xeon]

What I would tell my 25year old self : releasing a product and getting 0 sales in the first week is not complete failure or a reason to quit the idea altogether.

 

[SteveO]

i have realized that sometimes older people don't want to share their life lessons

because of envy or whatever

I disagree. It is because nobody will listen...

My grandson lived with me for a while as a young man. I asked him if he wanted any life lessons or feedback from me. He just laughed back at me as if he had everything figured out. I certainly saw the humor myself.

 

[ApparentHorizon]

Money is a skill, just like physics or history:

• If you can learn to do titrations, you can learn how to register an LLC.
• If you can learn to write an interpretation of The Great Gatsby, you can learn to write a sales letter for your lawn care company.
• If you can learn the rules of basketball, you can learn the rules of leading an app team
• If you can learn about the Mayans, you can learn about Rockefeller

I disagree. It is because nobody will listen...

My grandson lived with me for a while as a young man. I asked him if he wanted any life lessons or feedback from me. He just laughed back at me as if he had everything figured out. I certainly saw the humor myself.

Nobody listens...

1. The only reason to listen to adults is because they said so. They're older so they automatically know.
   
2. Young people come to a point in their lives where they realize (most) adults don't know any better.
   1. Consider the pre-internet generation on both of these points.
3. Just like the top 1%, however, there exists a 1% of potential in the kids. Unfortunately, they may not be the ones you care about.

Maybe it's better this way... If there's the 99%, and going against the grain is the norm when growing up.... Maybe it's how we (society) moved forward all this time.

Once in a while that punk rock rebel realizes what they're doing is conforming. With the real rebellion being against everything society throws at them. Especially the ones closest to them.

 

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[WJK]

I don't have anything to tell myself before But there is something I can tell myself now .
Meaning i must be a billionaire.
Thank you.

You don't have to be a billionaire -- just financially independent in order to have a good life.

This thread is all about what we learn along the way as we get older and gain wisdom. It about how things get easier when we've got some experience under our belts. It about the follies of youth and how we wasted a lot of time and energy on stuff that really didn't count. What can we say about those moments now? How could we have made life easier and better if we had known "X"?

I think about the story of the two guys cutting wood with their axes. The young guy couldn't keep up with the old guy. He finally asked how an old man could cut wood so much faster. The old guy replied, "I don't know. But every time we take a break, I just keep sharpening my ax while you tell me all about your problems."

Being smart is learning something new. Being wise is learning from our past and the actions of the other people around us.

 

[WJK]

I cannot go back in time and do it, but I assume this exercise is not about it (I know, I am a genius).

I would like someone older and experienced to listen to what I have to say and how I feel about 'life' and 'the world'. To confront myself with someone who could help me navigate through life better or at least, more aware.

That's why I started doing this. I am looking for people that are 25, 20, 15, or whatever their age is, BECAUSE AGE IS IRRELEVANT, and I am trying to ask them what they think and feel and add my thoughts to it, but gently. As every person is different and every experience has different meaning for different people.

I will be preaching and will be adamant about it. This is why most advice don't work. With all the advice in this thread (and on this forum), it's pointless. Because changing the world is not about giving advice to people that are ready for it, so are ready for it. It's helping people that aren't ready...

You cannot say 'this is what I would say to a 25 year old version of me' because you wouldn't listen. I wouldn't. No one would. Or the chances are really slim. Before you want to give advice to 'your 25 version', ask this person what he really wants or feels, and then add to it, maybe...

Dedicated to you: @elusive97 and @Aurelius

When I was 25, I had really good mentors -- and yes, I hung on their every word. By that time, I had to hell and back. If it weren't for some really good people who took me under their wings, I wouldn't be here today. Some of us really listened to those kind helpers and took their advice to heart. One of my mentors died when I was 51 years old. I had never made a career move without talking to her. I still miss her wise counsel and even-handed advice.

If I was to give my 25-year-old self advice, I would tell her to take a deep breath and relax. Now, from my senior point of view, I know that life is not all that serious. I now know that -- this too shall pass. I'm younger at my advanced 66 years than I was at 16. I would never want to go back to being young again. It was way too painful and I didn't know how to handle that level of adversity.

Now I can swat those problem people away in one or two sentences. I'm to the point where bad guys walk way around me. They don't want to tangle with me. And that avoids a lot of problems before they happen. But, I learned to be that woman with the help of a lot of good advice over the years. Yes, some of us were happy to listen when we were young and we're still learning and listening.

 

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[Lauryn]

You're making the right decision. It's now or never - and it's not so bad on the other side.

Besides, nobody knows or understands you better than YOU do - so screw their thoughts on your situation.

{25 was the age at which everything I thought I had - especially my marriage - crumbled and went to hell. I knew it was time to move on and fought with myself about how much to listen to everyone else about my decision. I was deeply depressed. Suicidal. Etc.}

I'm about to be 29... so clearly whatever I thought then ended up saving my life.

It's been a few years... and I honestly would add that this would stay the same, with some exceptions.

• You're not obligated to "take anyone with you" regardless of whether or not you share the same family, systemic challenges, or anything that remotely matches you on the surface level.
• Why? Because for these past few years, "taking everyone with me" has weighed me down and put me in the way of more obstacles and responsibilities than I needed to take on.
• Unless you're equally balanced and know how to ground each other, practice celibacy (or semen retention for men) and/or get a strong "self-love" game. You have no idea how much people take from you just from having sex with you. Male or female.
• Sleep. Gym. Healthy Food. Meditate. Isolate. Elevate.
• Don't DIY - DIBYDS - Do it by ya damn self - don't share your ideas with anyone who isn't financially invested in the best possible outcome. Most of the time, that's you...
• If you're willing to get paid by someone else to do it, please believe you still need some of those hours to work on your own brand/business.
• Whatever "lifestyle" you aim to have, live it first, then build your business to fit the desired lifestyle.
• Allow your customers to tell you what they want. It works. Your customers will literally tell you exactly what it is they want ... as long as you allow them to and stop being fixed to what you THINK you want to happen.
• Get the F*ck off Social Media. I killed my social media accounts in March 2018 and honestly have been better since. Unless I'm getting paid, the illusion of making money via networking did not pan out... sometimes it felt like I was like being gaslighted publicly. It just wasn't healthy for me.
• Get F*cking boundaries. No means no. Means no.
• Thick Face, Black Heart. Burn it into your knowledge.
• Establish as many blue oceans as possible.
• You only collaborate with people you dream of collaborating with, not people who dream of collaborating with you. (Do not allow yourself to be the blessing for someone who is inequally yoked.)
• If short term disability is available at your job, use it. You can use that time to get therapy if your job has literally destroyed your life, family, friendships, etc. (AUTO INSURANCE, CORPORATE AMERICA, TO BE EXACT).

I confess that I've become more "spiritual"/magickal and aware of mind/body/spirit connection and even "energy"... so maybe all of it won't seem practical. But essentially... stay away from everyone who isn't going to give you this money. Ignore / Kill energy vampires. Stay fly. Pay your debts. Do yoga.

P.S. People who call you crazy, dismiss you, and envy you are right in front of your face. Take note now, because you're not going to extend any favors later.

Hope this helps.

~ The Me in 2021