If you could go back in time and give yourself as a child advice what would it be?

[Strat]

I had been thinking about this for a few days and I'm interested what others have to say. We all have had different journeys so that requires different prescriptions per person so to speak.

I'd teach childhood/teenage me the importance of mindfulness. A lot of my suffering was self imposed and I didn't know it at the time. Teenage years were an utter nightmare and early 20s wasn't much better. I have zero desire to relive my youth. I didn't have the tools of how to deal with my health problems and at the same time I struggled fitting in. I would constantly go over life's problems over and over and over in my head. Health problems are really scary and it sucked watching things I planned on doing as a kid be removed from me as I grew older. So I would just sit and stew and then when ****ty people would go after me because of said health problems I wouldn't push back. I didn't know any better, like I said, I didn't have the tools. My culture didn't/doesn't believe in mental health. Very foolish.

It sounds contradictory but I was painfully self conscious and yet totally lacking in self awareness at the same time. And zero confidence. I got my confidence later in teen years but the other problems lasted for quite some time. Cluster headaches give extremely harsh life lessons and I didn't know how to deal with it. Frankly, most don't and many don't make it or become a shell of themselves. Thank God I'm passed that (and thank you to those who PM'd me during those dark days. You know who you are.)

I'm working on a project that will help folks of all ages deal with life's bumps in the road. I truly hope it helps folks. Time will tell.

So what about you folks?

[RatRodRob...RRR]

Gday strat
You would teach your teenage self "mindfulness"
I think self awareness is important, but i dont have any regrets about my "mindfulness" and whether or not i had enough of it growing up, i was always aware of myself and my surroundings, i needed to be on my toes all my life and i talk to myself constantly, always evaluating, i worked everything out by myself, and ive never considered using say, "meditation" as a tool to gain "mindfulness", actually the thought of meditating kinda scares me, ive had sooo many odd experiences that i Know the world we live in isnt what we are told, especially regarding things like,out of body experiences, ouija board and seance events and the paranormal.

I wouldnt tell myself to change anything bout my time growing up, afterall it made me who i am.

Actually i would tell myself to listen to what mum tells me and pay attention, especially the time when mum said to me as a little boy, "Do not play with my new Wiltshire kitchen knifes, they are very sharp" , 10 mins later im off to the hospital, i shoulda listened to Mum.

RRR

[pueblo]

DO NOT stick that fork in the socket!

[rgray222]

• Be aware that everything in life is always temporary, the pain you are experiencing is not permanent.
• During your junior year in high school tell your friend Chuck not to get into the car at 2 am
• Don't ever start drinking
• When you start having pain in your foot tell the doctor you think it is cancer. Don't procrastinate.
• Don't look for happiness in the future, find it in your life right this minute
• Tell Mrs. Patterson at the State Dept I am sorry for not accepting her offer
• Go to John's funeral otherwise, you will regret it for the rest of your life
• Tell Vivian you are sorry for moving out of the country so abruptly
• Your health and your wealth are entirely up to you.
• I would certainly tell myself to make good friends with older people, there is a lot to learn
• Don't avoid conversations with loved ones about their imminent death
• Praise your children much more frequently

My life has had many tremendous hardships but it is my life. I would not have traded it with anyone else's life and there is much more to come. I will be back to add to this list as time goes on.

[Craig]

I would prefer to go back further and tell my dad, "hey go out for the night, leave the wife and home and have a great time," - if you can infer my meaning here....

[Vangelo]

Posted by Strat (here)
I had been thinking about this for a few days and I'm interested what others have to say. We all have had different journeys so that requires different prescriptions per person so to speak.

I'd teach childhood/teenage me the importance of mindfulness. A lot of my suffering was self imposed and I didn't know it at the time. Teenage years were an utter nightmare and early 20s wasn't much better. I have zero desire to relive my youth. I didn't have the tools of how to deal with my health problems and at the same time I struggled fitting in. I would constantly go over life's problems over and over and over in my head. Health problems are really scary and it sucked watching things I planned on doing as a kid be removed from me as I grew older. So I would just sit and stew and then when ****ty people would go after me because of said health problems I wouldn't push back. I didn't know any better, like I said, I didn't have the tools. My culture didn't/doesn't believe in mental health. Very foolish.

It sounds contradictory but I was painfully self conscious and yet totally lacking in self awareness at the same time. And zero confidence. I got my confidence later in teen years but the other problems lasted for quite some time. Cluster headaches give extremely harsh life lessons and I didn't know how to deal with it. Frankly, most don't and many don't make it or become a shell of themselves. Thank God I'm passed that (and thank you to those who PM'd me during those dark days. You know who you are.)

I'm working on a project that will help folks of all ages deal with life's bumps in the road. I truly hope it helps folks. Time will tell.

So what about you folks?

Thank you Strat for getting me to think about this; it is a tough one.

I have done a lot of self discover, mindfulness, and shadow work over the last 15 years or so. It has transformed me significantly, and I am truly grateful.

I know without a doubt, that I am who I am because of the life that I have led. The fears, failings and foibles I experienced during each phase of my life forged me into the person I am. I like the person I was at each phase and I like who I am today. So, from that perspective, I would not want to change anything even though I grew up with little and I have suffered significant losses, hardships and misfortunes. Having said that, I would like to tell myself not to be so afraid, to connect more deeply with the people in my life (i.e. be less of a self-reliant loner), and yes, be more mindful.

[Bill Ryan]

In Richard Bach's wonderful autobiography, The Bridge Across Forever (Library link here), he describes how this — the topic of this thread — actually happened.

When he was young, he had a dream in which he met with his 20-years-older self, who gave him a bunch of valuable advice.

Then — 20 years later — he had another dream in which he met with his younger self, giving him all that mature advice.

It was the same dream.

[Mark (Star Mariner)]

Don't know about child, but as a 'young adult' yes. I think many of us would have a thing or two to say to our callow, younger selves.

To twenty-something me:
-Read more
-Write more
-Dress smarter
-Be more confident
-In Sept '94, stay put, don't buy that ticket
-And the time you chickened out, don't. Knock on that door

[Casey Claar]

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
In Richard Bach's wonderful autobiography, The Bridge Across Forever (Library link here), he describes how this — the topic of this thread — actually happened.

When he was young, he had a dream in which he met with his 20-years-older self, who gave him a bunch of valuable advice.

Then — 20 years later — he had another dream in which he met with his younger self, giving him all that mature advice.

It was the same dream.

I, too, have been doing this, but through the OBE....at various ages going back to myself in the past creating time loops.

The first time I experience this, as a child, I simply walked up from behind myself and placed my aged hand on my young shoulder. It would seem to just let myself know I was still there. At various other times, other information came through (such as about the contact I was having, and health related stuff, etc. ) but it was not anything I actually, verbally told myself.

The OBE as Time Travel

[Michi]

It's a very good question indeed!


I guess - I would have told myself: Ask those for advice, who are successful in what you are trying to achieve and be more daring but don't let you talk into things without proper examination.



In my younger years I have been quite shy and "on the safe side". This wasn't necessarily bad but on the other side I still had been very naive to take other words as truth.
It didn't occur to me that other may deceive in order to achieve their own goals.



But overall - I coped with live very well because I promoted my key abilities which in turn let me do mostly those things I liked.
I have no regret for my past and my view to life is always that I cause the things in my life.

Fortunately I learned early that personal responsibility and integrity and character counts!

[Craig]

from a selfishly greedy perspective, sell everything you have and buy bitcoin, don't buy pizza with it, just sit on and then when the time is right help the world

[Victoria]

Strat,

A great endeavor. Very glad you are feeling better and want to share your wisdom...and it's good to know people here on Avalon could help when needed. What you create in turn will definitely aid and inspire others!

If I could speak to the child (or especially teenage) me and impress anything that might change course for the better, based on what I know now, the message would mostly be increased diligence, the imperative of impeccable record keeping, confidence + a few specifics about certain individuals/events. I was really stupid in younger years, somewhat more rational now. Hindsight is a bit closer to 20/20:

• Do not stay silent. Do not keep your mouth shut.

• Be discriminating.

• You know what you know. Trust it.

• Do not be worried or jealous. Everything is right in due time.

• Welcome discomfort- you learn and progress infinitely more.

• Hold on and stay close to those you love. Life is so incomprehensibly short; it is over in the blink of an eye. Be still and appreciate the people you love. You can survive any situation, you'll get through everything fine, but hold those you love tightly, because they don't. They need protection. Watch them closely. Look deep into their eyes, feel the sound of their voices whenever they are near and take their hands into yours every chance you get. Thank them, tell them how special they are and that you love them.

• Do not make excuses. Create reasons to do more, in bigger and better ways.

• Always try, try and try again.

• Do not yearn for tomorrow and lose track of today. Do everything possible with all the energy you can muster now.

• Do not hesitate to share openly or exchange bizarre experiences with Ken Ewing when he asks. No, you teenage dolt, he's not some creep- he's been part of the family for decades. Do your research! The man is a treasure trove and beloved quirky character, with a window to every one of your ufo/occult questions. Engage, don't ignore or hide. LANL engineer most intelligently eccentric and amusing. (RIP Ken, you are missed. )

• When you are given gemstones by a stranger, ask why and who and don't keep the secret. Anytime things don't make sense ask all the Ws!!!

• If you awaken to yourself lying on a gurney, in the far back end of the facility, lights off with a sheet pulled over your face next to big white freezers, don't just sit up to act demure and polite. Do not act like nothing happened. Hold them accountable, make a scene!

• When Simonsen peers in, make JSOC aware. He does have to abide by a standard of conduct. Do not let people do that to you! The sooner you figure it out, the better off you'll be.

• yes, you're right, it's a good idea not to sneak into centcom.

• When Patrick says he knows and was there, do not dismiss it. He's baiting your response. Find out everything possible ASAP. Transparency is a two way street...lies by omission and such.

• When you are repeatedly handed Ted A. Mastin's number as a teen and young adult, ask why. Find out all that you need to know long before he dies. (and if anyone here knows anything about him during his Dallas/Fort Worth years, I'm anxious to learn.)

• Live with integrity, love fully, interact with patience, speak with confidence.

• Hold people accountable.

• Do not be scared. Be honorable.

• Do not dismiss the things that happen, the people who make themselves known, or what you see. When people check in with you, log it. Log everything. Everything comes into perspective over time.

• Get everything needed from others in writing.

• There is no anonymity. Think twice before posting or emailing material that might impact those you love. The internet was given to the public for more than one reason.

• Who exactly is "everyone on the mountain?" Find out.

• Keep your eyes in the back of your head.

• Do not seek the easy way out.

• Love is always greater than fear.

[Casey Claar]

Posted by Strat (here)
I had been thinking about this for a few days and I'm interested what others have to say. We all have had different journeys so that requires different prescriptions per person so to speak.

I'd teach childhood/teenage me the importance of mindfulness. A lot of my suffering was self imposed and I didn't know it at the time. Teenage years were an utter nightmare and early 20s wasn't much better. I have zero desire to relive my youth. I didn't have the tools of how to deal with my health problems and at the same time I struggled fitting in. I would constantly go over life's problems over and over and over in my head. Health problems are really scary and it sucked watching things I planned on doing as a kid be removed from me as I grew older. So I would just sit and stew and then when ****ty people would go after me because of said health problems I wouldn't push back. I didn't know any better, like I said, I didn't have the tools. My culture didn't/doesn't believe in mental health. Very foolish.

It sounds contradictory but I was painfully self conscious and yet totally lacking in self awareness at the same time. And zero confidence. I got my confidence later in teen years but the other problems lasted for quite some time. Cluster headaches give extremely harsh life lessons and I didn't know how to deal with it. Frankly, most don't and many don't make it or become a shell of themselves. Thank God I'm passed that (and thank you to those who PM'd me during those dark days. You know who you are.)

I'm working on a project that will help folks of all ages deal with life's bumps in the road. I truly hope it helps folks. Time will tell.

So what about you folks?

Re: If you could go back in time and give yourself as a child advice what would it be?

I think I did this.

What I did, from an expanded state at a very advanced age, is go back to myself at roughly 7 years of age, meeting myself while also in what we colloquially call an 'out of body experience' - and while standing outside, looking into my own bedroom window, I stood behind myself and placed a hand on my shoulder.

That's it. That's what I did. It began a series of such time-loops -and life fairly devoid of the usual fears.

Which I suspect must have been the point?

[thepainterdoug]

girls actually want sex

[onawah]

I would advise myself as a child to understand that rebelling against my childhood programming when I become old enough to do so does not remove it, but just sets the stage for more internal conflict.
Bad life choices stem from anger and rebelliousness not wisdom and there are always consequences for such, even if they don't materialise immediately or obviously.