We hear adults asking what they would have done differently, and they almost always say the same thing, no matter their age, their country, or whether they're a guy or a girl.
And it turns out we're right at the age they miss. So we can use that discovery like a time machine: they've already seen how the movie ends, and without meaning to, they're telling us what's worth enjoying while we're still here.
These are the 5 things our future self will thank us for enjoying today. And none of them are about being perfect.
1. Be yourself, even when you don't fit in
The easiest thing in the world is to copy everyone else so you don't stand out. But what really matters is letting ourselves like what we like without asking permission: the weird music, the hobby nobody else has, the way we dress, the way we think. This stage is the best lab we'll ever get for figuring out who we really are, and you don't figure that out by copying anyone.
→ How to stop worrying about what people think
2. Love your people while they're close
The dinners, the talks with your grandparents, the silly moments at home. It sounds like nothing, but it's what people remember most years later. It's not about being the perfect daughter, it's about being around a little more often.
→ How to get along with your family without losing yourself
3. Go for it, even when it's embarrassing
Getting on the stage, sending the message, trying out for the team, saying what we think. Messing up at our age costs almost nothing, and every time we're brave, we get a little braver for next time.
→ How to be braver and beat the embarrassment
4. Learn something now, while your brain is a sponge
The instrument, the language, the sport, reading. At our age we learn faster than at any other point in life, and we have something that gets really rare later: time. It's worth planting something today that our future self will show off.
→ What's actually worth learning as a teenager
5. Don't give so much weight to things that soon won't have any
A bad grade, embarrassing yourself in front of everyone, a broken heart, what one little group thinks. We have to feel it, not bottle it up, but without forgetting one thing: almost none of it will define our life.
→ How to get over school drama or a broken heart
The secret behind all 5
If we put together everything the time machine tells us, something interesting jumps out: almost all of adults' regrets are about what they did NOT do, not about what they did.
So the rule is easy, and we can keep it for life: when in doubt, go for it, be yourself, and love your people.
If any of this hit home, there's a novel that feels written for this exact moment: "Guía de Campo para Entender a los Humanos" by Mara Solís. Catalina, the main character, is 13 and learning to understand people (and herself) just like us.
Take a look here ↗