Advice to Younger Self

I was recently asked what advice I'd give my younger self, and I enjoyed the reflection. I came up with three pieces of advice, which seemed like a worthy post to add here!

1. set clear goals
2. identify and work on healthy habits (prayer, eating, exercise, virtue and time spent)
3. invest in relationships with people.

As a young person, I had big dreams, but I did not always suss those down into goals to get to the dreams.  My husband, while we were just dating, introduced me to the idea of a Gantt Project -- a tool that helps one work backwards from a goal, identified the mini-goals that must be attained in order to reach the overarching goal. Although intimidating at first, this process crystalizes the way forward and can even help one to identify other opportunities along the way.

The second piece of advice is similar -- taking the time to discipline oneself in small things, building up to larger things. The first habit is prayer. The purpose of life is to know God, to love God, and to serve God in this world and to be happy with God forever in the next. It is almost impossible to know God without prayer. So, younger self, cultivate a life of prayer. Those other healthy habits - eating, exercise, virtue and time spending - build on those bit by bit. Every decision is an opportunity to grow in discipline.

And finally, grow in relationships with people. It is very easy to get caught up in oneself and forget the folks around you. This is a mistake. Invest in others! Take interest in what they have going on in their lives! Love them! These things are the key to a happy, healthy life.