None. She wouldn’t have listened anyway.

Because:
a) teenagers always know best
and have all the answers
b) words can change lives, but would it have made a difference?
and would I have wanted it to?
c) the older we get, the more regrets we harbor, so it’s best to let those ships sail out to sea
d) nowadays, I remind myself, I made the best decision that I could with the information I had
e) best intentions (advice) can have the opposite effect
or cause more harm than good
f) there’s also bad advice…
g) we’re assuming teens need advice, what if (a) were true?
I mean, I’ve read a lot of YA stories and those kittens end up saving the world
Hello, Katniss Everdeen, Harry Potter, and Alina Starkov, am I right?
I barely recycle as it is…
I’m not even sure we could give them skin care advice.
h) what stings more? regrets that were yours or others that you chose to follow?
i) successful people are full of great advice
but I’m not ‘successful’, therefore, should be actively avoided
j) this is all beginning to sound like a good TV show premise
k) movies, music, books, and magazines had a better chance of reaching teenage me
l) I hate this question. Is it obvious?
m) I’m too old for it. That’s the problem.
n) Now, if the question was ‘what advice would you’d give teenagers today?’ that’d be different.
o) But advice for me? I’m beyond help.
p) [Just kidding] It’s that we can’t go back and help young Lani.

But it’s pretend, dummy, pretend.
Yeah, but. What’s the point?
Is this like when they survey people? Do you give the answer you think they want you to say? Or are you honest?
I think you’re overthinking it.
Think of it this way. What did you wish you knew?
God’s teeth. How much time do we have?
…
I’d warn her of Covid-19.
Nah, but what advice?
Invest in face masks.
Rob will be a wet sloppy kisser.
Don’t buy cheap bras.
You’re an imbecile, you know that.
Yeahhh, but hot potatoes, thar’s gold in ’em hills.

Can you remember the last piece of advice you were given? Did you take it or not? And if you’re not participating in WP’s Bloganuary challenge, how would you have answered the question?

24 replies on “What advice would you give to your teenage self?”

    1. Ha! Actually, it so depends on the teen, doesn’t it? But I’d say, get off social media. Or at least cull your time on it.

      And don’t be so hard on yourself. I think we all have a tendency to get too serious about everything! Cheers 🙂

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  2. Tough question for the start of Bloganuary! I would tell myself the same stuff my mom tried to tell me. I didn’t listen to her and probably wouldn’t listen to old-me, either. Stay away from old dudes, don’t smoke, trust your gut, pray.

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    1. Stay away from old dudes??? Hahahahaha. Gotta hear the back story on this one. 😛

      YOU and me both, girl, ignored so much of my mom’s brilliant advice.

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  3. I can’t think of any advice I could give to my teenage self. I could tell myself to be more athletic. That would be good for my health. But that wouldn’t be me. I was active, but I really liked to read and draw and paint. I wouldn’t even have told myself to watch out for some of the mistakes I eventually made. Those mistakes probably needed to be made.

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    1. Right? Even coming from yourself, why do we try to prevent the mistakes we learned so much from? Yes, to avoid pain, I get it. But aren’t we a conglomeration of the experiences we’ve had?

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  4. Being hard-headed and thinking that we know everything as a teenager is quite something. It’s so difficult to reach teenagers as an adult.

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    1. Very true. I was heard somewhere how teen’s brains are wired differently (during this time), and I associate them with this now.

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  5. I loved this Lani it was so sweet, funny and entertaining. The last advice I was given was drink less coffee and only spend an hour a day on Twitter and I am determined to do both.

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    1. Thanks! Ah, right. You get a lot of info from there, don’t you? I’ve tried to be on there several times, but it’s not my jam. Good luck with those resolutions, xo

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  7. Uh, I give advice to my niece..the rom-com writer. She probably was thinking of the same thing I was advising her. I don’t see myself as Ann Landers queen, that’s for sure!

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  9. Today on the phone, I got a slice of Sunday advice. My old mother got angry with me. She said, in not so many words, that both needing a cigarette and being desperately broke is not a good look on me. Oh well, I thought, I’ve got bloganuary to do 🙂

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  10. Hehe! Love this! 😀 Definitely agree, there’s no sense in giving a younger version of yourselves advice, we’d never have listened! Although if I could do it, and if my younger self was willing to at least consider my advice, it would be not to worry so much. It doesn’t really help and makes for wrinkles in your forehead. 😉

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    1. YES. Totally agree. I worry WAY too much, and often for no reason. These days I’m trying to remind myself of the question, “Will this matter in 1 week? 1 month?” Often the answer is no!

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