What do you know now that you wish you had known then?

[Stumpy]

They need to know that they can be and need to be a whole person by themselves, and another person is not necessary to be "complete." I spent so much of my 20's bawling my eyes out because I wasn't married. What a waste of time, when I should have been enjoying my singleness. The other part of it is to wait for the right person. I spent many years working in divorce court, and I can tell them without doubt that being alone is better than being with the wrong person. Also, not to set their expectations too high; it can often result in extreme disappointment.

Again, as has been said, the material stuff is so meaningless in the end. Spend time with those parents and grandparents, learn from them before they're gone.

 

[silkiechicken]

Have fun and smile even if you can't think of a good reason to smile. If you think you're miserable, you will be.

But alas, I'm about the age of your students so I'll have to chime in about a decade from now.

 

[bob681]

Even if you are on the right track, if you stand there too long you will get run over by the train.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Be careful what you put on the Internet. Things aren't always as secure and private and anonymous as they might seem.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

If I was teaching a class like that I would have them do a little math.

Ask them to figure out how much it would cost after interest to pay off a $1000 dollar item bought on a credit card paying the minimum.

Then ask them to figure out how much it costs in interest to keep an average of $500 balanced on a credit card over 10 years.

The have them figure how much a week it would take to put back an invest counting interest to be able to retire with a million dollars by there 35th birthday.

I would also drill the word diversify in to there heads.

 

[davidb]

If you go to church stay in church, If you don't go start, and if you cant say it, eat it, drink it, or do it in church, its not worth doing, and last but not least, If your ashamed to ask your girl or boyfriend to go to church with you, you probably met in the wrong place.

Oh one more this is what my grand pa used to say and it seems to fit nicely in a chicken forum: you cant make chicken salad out of chicken squat.

 

[cat]

love people and use things, not use people and love things.

if you want to be happy, make sure what you think and what you say and what you do are the same.

 

[boaz]

Two quotes impress my current thinking as to life advice. When William Shakespeare wrote "This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man" those words made for great literature. The prophet Jeremiah wrote " in 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" How do the two quotes relate?

I now know, through trial and error, that our lives unfold with respect to how we have related to others, the unseen kindness to strangers, the values we embrace, the faithfulness to vows and to God. Our lives should be stretched out across the canvas of human interaction not on one of self actualization. I think Jeremiah knew what he was talking about with regard to navel gazing. Use your life seeking the intangible (load your 401-K with offshore investments such as treasure in Heaven), steer clear of the self-help books, make one or two great friends, marry for life, it's ok to change your oil every 6,000 miles in most cases, buy a really good coffee maker and don't spend much time following the advice of Polonius.

 

[chickerdoodle]

Don't expect someone else to make you complete--you are the only one who can make yourself happy.

Find time to be with nature and connect with it as it can teach you many things, especially how to relax. Get off the computer for a little every single day and walk outdoors and breathe slowly.

You don't need to eat a lot of anything fattening--just a small piece is good enough if you savor it. (I learned this one the hard way)

And of course--laughter is the best medicine, especially if you can laugh at yourself!

 

[Kelly G]

You are owed nothing. This world is not in your debt.

The biggest flaw I see in this generation THAT WE HAVE RAISED, is a sense of entitlement. It is unattractive and unbecoming.

Despite what your parents may have led you to believe, you are not entitled to any/all of the following:

Car (or car payments, car insurance, down payments, etc)
Cell phone (or payment for bill)
Money to "go out and play"

Basically, you are not owed a good life.

What you ARE owed is the the opportunity to work hard and earn these things yourself. The good life is SO sweet when you have worked hard to earn it!