What I Wish I Knew At Age 19

Here's everything everyone wish they knew at the age of 19. If it's good advice, hit the upvote button. The number next to it indicates the age the author wrote it at. Feel like there's something missing? Add a new message!

Hey 19 year old, If you want some simple ways to help people when you're worried about the world these days, look up "list of acts of kindness ideas," "acts of kindness organizations," "acts of kindness websites," and so on. Doing something active will help worries.

Hey 19 year old, If you want some ideas on how to make money on the side, look up phrases like "100 ways to make money," "100 ways to make money online," "100 ways to save money," "money making apps/websites," "coupon finder apps/chrome extensions," and so on.

Hey 19 year old, Learning how to speak is part of gaining success in life, even in careers where you're mostly alone. Brush up on your grammar by searching "grammar tips," "common mistakes with grammar," and "high school/college/university vocabulary word list."

Hey 19 year old, If you have trouble speaking in front of the audience, or even speaking at all in social situations, video yourself alone trying to speak and use that to gain feedback to how you speak. Look up "public speaking tips," or "communication skills."

Hey 19 year old, PS : If you want to learn more about why the world is such a mess, look up the stages of spiral dynamics, based on a psychology study by Dr. Clare Graves of the stages to maturity.

Hey 19 year old, If you need help organizing your life, look up how to make a mind map, the different uses of the mind maps, the benefits of mind maps, mind map apps, mind map websites, and mind map books. It organizes EVERYTHING in your life.

Hey 19 year old, Post a reminder of your goals for you everyday, in your room where you wake up for you to see. If you want, you can add pictures or even draw your own as a vision board. Put up other things that provide inspiration to you too.

Hey 19 year old, There are better ways to contribute to society than criticism and complaints alone. Yes, those things are needed, but criticism without specific solutions or specific actions will do nothing. Keep this in mind when you judge others. What do you do?

Hey 19 year old, If you want a better world, first envision what a better world would look like. Don't just say you don't want this in the world, but you don't offer a replacement for all the wrong. What would the specific details look like? Why did you choose that?

Hey 19 year old, Adulthood is a time where you examine how much you're lying to yourself or denying to yourself certain things. Take time to carefully observe your own mind in reflection. Just watch your thoughts. Notice if you're trying to run away from anything.

Hey 19 year old, One essential grown up advice? All types of fruits, vegetables and other healthy food can be more easily eaten if you find recipes that make these ingredients more delicious. Sometimes it's not the food, but how you cook it that matters.

Hey 19 year old, If you want to look for some powerful healthy ingredients, look up for a list of "superfoods," that are packed with lots of extra nutrition, such as green tea, eggs, nuts, strawberries, blueberries, avocado, pumpkin, apples, watermelon, & more.

Hey 19 year old, If you want to try different physical exercises at home, you can look for different exercise videos on YouTube, such as yoga, dancing, strength exercises, stretching, tai chi and qigong (like Yoga, but from the Chinese), or even martial arts.

Hey 19 year old, If you want, it's possible to try some "TV exercises" (look it up) where you can physically exercise while watching TV. A similar practice are desk exercises or office exercises, which whether you're in an office or not, is useful next to a table.

Hey 19 year old, There are lots of educational apps if you check that can be very useful for studying, or even for exploring new intellectual or creative interests if you're geeky like me. Sure, there are lots of ones for kids, but many are for adults too.

Hey 19 year old, If you want to explore more about the social commentary on different internet trends to become a deep thinker of what you see online, such as cottage core, material girl, plastic surgery on social media, romanticize your life movement, and more.

Hey 19 year old, Other than guided meditations on YouTube, mindfulness meditation apps can help, such as with Headspace, Calm, Insight Timer, Smiling Mind, Buddifhy, Simple Habit, My LifeMeditation, UCLA Mindful, Healthy Minds Program and more.

Hey 19 year old, If you want some shorter mindfulness meditation exercises if you're lacking time, look up "meditation techniques list," "meditation activities list," "meditation exercises," or you can even just do a 5-10 minute meditation. Even 2-3 minutes help.

Hey 19 year old, If breathing meditation helps you, then other types of meditations that are less well known can help too, such as walking meditation, body scan meditation, mantra meditation, noting meditation, and loving kindness meditation are the basics.

Hey 19 year old, If your body and muscles feel tense, try looking up how to do progressive muscle relaxation technique. It helps calm you down emotionally, by first helping you release the tension from your physical body, which often happens without you realizing.

Hey 19 year old, If you have trouble loving yourself, look up Dr. Kristen Neff's website, and especially her self compassion exercises. If you're not convinced of the need for it, look up "psychological benefits of self compassion," for the verified research on it.

Hey 19 year old, If you're looking to date as a man, know that what women want is a sensitive guy in touch with his own emotions, his humor and spontaneity. That's why women want the brooding moody creative man. Not the manly jerk with no emotions.

Hey 19 year old, If you want to learn to be tough and safe on the streets, look up "street smart tips," or "street smart advice," so you can avoid danger, considering all the crazy stuff on the news nowadays to what's happening to these victims.

Hey 19 year old, If you're black/brown, and police approach you, put your hands up and say "I have the right to remain silent." Do not run away or you might get killed. Any arguments you have, ask a lawyer later. Anything you say can be used against you.

Hey 19 year old, As you leave for adulthood, know that it's normal for some people in your life to leave, while others stay. Sometimes some paths in adulthood still intertwine. Others get busy with their own lives, but you can always find new people, new connections.

Hey 19 year old, For both guys and girls, if you want ways to get chores done faster, then look up "cleaning tips," "cleaning hacks, "housekeeping tips," or "housekeeping hacks." Look up chores apps to help you get motivated for stuff like this to get done too.

Hey 19 year old, Go to the YouTube channel Dad, how do I? for some fatherly advice for both guys and girls on fixing stuff, baking/cooking stuff, or just advice on life in general. A YouTube channel by a dad who never got to have his own dad, so he became one to you.

Hey 19 year old, If you like Reddit, look up self improvement subreddits like /r/Decidingtobebetter, /r/Lifeprotips, /r/YouShouldKnow, /r/Zenhabits, /r/Meditation, /r/Loseit, /r/Changemyview, /r/Stoicism, /r/Nofap, /r/Lifehacks and more.

Hey 19 year old, If you want to see something optimistic on the news for once, go to websites like Goodnewsnetwork, Positive News, Happify Daily or Sunny Skyz. There are so many good things in the world, yet it gets less attention than bad news.

Hey 19 year old, If you want to try to look into gaming related charities, look up "gaming for charity," for a fun geeky way to raise funds for different social causes. If you want, offer a bit of cash to give game consoles to children in hospitals, for example.