My first post on 54monkeys.com: 1.

The post I enjoyed writing the most

I do not generate great discussion. I do elicit “awwwww”s.

The post on someone else’s blog I wish I had written (or could at least live): Courageous Sucking by Merlin Mann

I have other tips and tricks, but this is me at my most helpful.

I’d like to thank Taco Bell for helping me out with a great post title.

Lastly, given the “current economy”, I wish more people would read this post on informational interviewing and put it into practice. Just don’t call me. I’m headed to bed.

(Darren Rowse’s suggestions for topics)

Today I am grateful for (in no particular order):

Enjoying every bit of summer possible this year

Laundry in my apartment means I can do laundry whenever I want

Berries & peaches

Walking home from work

Accomplishment after accomplishment at work

Being literate, well-educated, healthy, functional enough to go to work and have accomplishments

Running 2.5 miles

Blackout curtains

Leave-in conditioner

A letter for Cassie’s collection

Dear 20-year-old me,

Hi! How are ya? A little advice goes a long way, especially at your age. At some point, you will be a few years shy of twice as old as you are now. (I know! Right?)

At that point in time, you will have a life that is 99.99% awesome and then .01% not-awesome in a way that is completely your own doing. In fact, the 99.99% awesome is also your own doing. You should know that. You are making the decisions; you are in control of your life. Do not think at any point that you do not have options. You. Have. Options.

That said, occasionally you will choose poor ones. Like that guy that you date. And break up with. And date again. And break up with again. And so on. For THREE YEARS. I would tell you not to do this, but you need to endure him and the boys before and after him who break your heart in various ways.

You make these choices so you can learn all of the don’ts in a very short period of time (way to be efficient!). One day, in a place you least expect it, you will meet a man who is the best thing that ever happens to you. He will not remember meeting you. It will take a long time to become friends and then an even longer time until that first kiss, and that is a-ok. Hang in there–it happens. You spend the next rest of your life getting married, moving a lot, laughing a lot, entertaining a lot, adventuring, and being owned by a dog together. And all of the guys who couldn’t get it together to take you on a proper date or bring you flowers or remember your birthday will be nothing in comparison to him.

I would, however, like you to choose to stop torturing yourself over them. Over your family. Over your career. Over pretty much everything. Knock off the self-recriminations, the guilt, the overthinking already. You’re too young to feel guilty about having survived… what? What did you survive? Sophomore year? Yes, you had a rough freshman year, but seriously. Get some perspective. Make sure you take that volunteer gig at the elementary school. Go get that grief counseling. You deserve to be happy.

You will graduate and have jobs and go to business school and get more jobs, and the whole time you will think you are not qualified for this, that they will see through you. I will let you in on a secret–EVERYONE FEELS THIS WAY. Make the decision to nip this one early before it becomes a bad habit.

While we are on habits, you need some better stress management tools, because M&Ms are not a method. Be more disciplined with your exercise, but also be more thoughtful–those little injuries start to add up. Sit up straight like your mom said.

Don’t mess with your hair. Just let it grow out and leave it alone. This advice alone should save you hours of hairdresser torture and whimpering over baby bangs, pixie cuts, and red dye jobs that wash out within a week of blowing a sizable chunk of a paycheck on them. Instead, take that money and put it into savings so when you quit that job you hate, you have a plan B. Have a plan B before you quit the job though.

So, you have choices. The best ones that you make are the ones where you stop listening to that little voice of monkey chatter and start listening to your heart. Best of luck. Let me know how it goes.

Love,
Future me