Things I wish I knew

I have been on this planet for 24 years and 47 days...but technically I've been on this planet for much longer if you count the years that I was a little spermy...and let me remind you, I was one of the little spermies that made it. Therefore, I was born a winner. 

While being alive and conscious, I have learned many things. I think the most important thing that I've actually learned and accepted, is the fact that I truly know nothing. There is so much information out there. There is information about information about information. 

Looking back...I wish I knew some of these things earlier.

• School. And I specifically mean elementary school. At that time, all I cared about was Spice Girls, being popular, pretending to be a witch, and writing creepy love notes to boys who thought I was weird for pretending to be a witch. I wish I paid more attention to elementary math than college math. Seriously, which one do you use more in the professional world? I have never heard my boss ask me.."Dana, can you please tell me ?  It's important that we put that in our proposal.  
• The past. What you do each and every day matters, and it will come back to haunt you. Do whatever you want. Truly. It's your life. Just make sure you don't care about others knowing about it in the future. Everything you do matters, even if it seems meaningless at the time. 
• Family. Don't take them for granted. I know everyone says that, but it's true. You need to treat every day like it's the last time you're going to see them. Life isn't guaranteed and you don't know when it will be the last time you see someone. As you get older, you will have less and less free time for family. When I was a kid..I wish I spent more time with my family rather than watching Are You Afraid Of The Dark. As we get older...family will move in different areas of the world...have children...work way too often...and worst of all...they will die. Morbid I know...but it's true. 
• Driving. I wish I knew that driving would be annoying and dangerous. As a kid I would hate to ride the school bus and have my parents drop me off at events. Dude, being a passenger gave me more opportunities to nap. Now I have to focus on my safety, directions, and the safety of others on the road. Oh, and I have to pay for gas, insurance, and other crap. 
• Speaking of naps. I wish I didn't complain about napping as a child. That was really stupid. Now I cry when I CAN'T nap.
• Rubbing my eyes. I used to always rub my eyes, and my mom would say..."you're going to ruin your skin" Well, I now have wrinkles around my eyes at age 24. Damnit. 
• It's okay to say no. I wish I didn't always try to make everyone in my life happy. Honestly, it's exhausting and we need to accept the fact that at times, we may disappoint people. There's not enough time in the day. They will live (but maybe not-refer to the bold font in bullet point 3). 
• College is easy. At one point in my life, I was in a hurry to graduate college. Um. That was easiest, most fun part of my life so far. And it goes by so fast. Enjoy every minute and never wish to graduate..unless you've been there for 7 years or something..then it's time to move on with your life or something. 

One final thing I wish I knew at a younger age..

This is me. 

It is never okay to have a mullet. Even if you're only 2 1/2 years old. Parents, thank you for this lovely haircut. 

Over-thinking comes with age.

     Hi. I over analyzing everything. Seriously, I could turn the topic of grocery shopping into a deep, philosophical conversation. I don't know if that's a talent or a fault. One thing I know, is that I over think everything. I don't think I was always this way; I can't remember. The beauty of working with funny & interesting people, is the fact that they constantly share funny & interesting things with me on a regular basis. This is one of my souvenirs...

                                          

What should we do when we are scared of change? Watch the video ^

     This 6 year old boy gives weirdly amazing advice. It's so simple yet true. We need to give children more credit. Sometimes they have a skill that others don't...they tend to not over-think things. They are usually literal and to the point; they have time to notice beauty in the little things. When they feel something, they feel it, and they will certainly let you know. You know how humans eventually grow a verbal filter? Well..kids are lucky for lacking that quality. 

"Yeah, if like something feels like you're closing....you should just say okay, I'm fine! I usually let it go..I usually think of something that I really like to do..and you just think of something else, until the nervous has gone out of you..let that thing disappear out of my head..out of my ears...out of my mouth..I'm scared of this thing, when the scared thing comes into you, the scared is scared of things you like..so um, I was scared of a monster, and I thought of pizza and juice, and a cookie. and then I ate it all up with some milk" 

He pretty much said it all.