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Belated happy birthday OP!
Turning 26 in a couple weeks..
Some life advice I'd offer to my 19 year old self:
Look up your the salary ranges for your major/degree if you're doing the college route and make sure it's worth it. Also internships in your field >>>>> part-time jobs if you can afford to do so.
If you're doing the entrepreneurship route, you better be prepared to die for your dream.
You can't save everybody, especially those with mental illness and/or drug addictions. Don't be so hard on yourself if you experience this firsthand and find comfort in the fact that you did what you could.
Build your good habits now. Stretch, cook, exercise, drink water consistently, clean, meditate, budget finances (always be saving).
Speaking of finances, build an emergency fund of at least 3 months living expenses.
It's important to plan for the future, but don't live there. It's very easy to get swept up and swallowed whole by future anxieties. Keep your mind in the present as it's the only experience that is certain. Meditation and practicing mindfulness will help you in this.
Don't put love or lust on a pedestal. They will be attracted to you so long as you continue to work on yourself in becoming someone attractive. This goes beyond your physical appearance. Basically, keep your focus on being the best version of yourself, someone that you can be proud to be.
Many people are disillusioned by an apparent randomness and lack of meaning in life. Enlightenment comes when you realize that this void is your canvas to influence. Meaning in your life is created through your own thoughts and actions. Perspective shapes your reality.
