I would guess that most of us have read a blog post (or Reader’s Digest article, or Facebook entry, or email) that represents a letter to the author’s child. They are usually written to tug at your heartstrings. Then of course be forwarded to all your friends, unless you are a heartless jerk.

If you can’t beat them… well you know.

I understand that my son will need to make his own mistakes. I truly hope that ten percent of what is preached to him sinks in. So instead of a letter to him, I will write young me a note or two. I can jump into my time machine and deliver it to teenage me, where I will promptly laugh and ignore it.

On that note, the first five things I would tell me are:

Time is more valuable than money. No amount of money can buy you more time. When you think about it, every moment of every day is ours to do with as we please. Just like money, it needs to be used wisely. If you waste it, waste it for a good reason.

Do something everyday to pursue your dreams. You need to remind yourself where you want to be and how to get there.

Take care of your health. Duh. We think we are immortal when we are young, and pay the price in later years. How late those later years are depends on how we take care of ourselves each and every day.

Treat people with the respect that everyone deserves. Every human being has issues, problems, and concerns that we can’t imagine. If the person across from you is having a bad day, don’t make it worse. Respect them until they prove they deserve otherwise.

You are responsible for your actions. Don’t blame others for your failure, but spread praise when you succeed. It is no longer fashionable to say “my fault” or “I’m sorry”, but you should make it a big part of your vocabulary.

I’ll visit myself again to continue this conversation, even though I don’t want to hear it.