We're Not Smarter Than You

Obviously!  I'm mean look how much fun you are having!

We're not smarter than you, but we have been around a lot longer and we've learned some stuff along the way that we want to share with you.  Don't worry you can still have fun!  Okay, maybe not as much fun as you did in college, but that's probably okay.  College wasn't all fun, don't forget how broke you were, stressed out, annoyed with the people with whom you lived, and all that disgusting food you ate.

So, please pay attention and don't underestimate the value of experience.  Think about how much you learned, and how your view of the world changed, as a result of the people you met and the things you learned in college.  Now, think about 25-30 years of life experiences.  Yes, that's what we parents have to offer you, so please at least listen to what we have to say.  Don't reinvent the wheel, be smart and let us help you, not do it for you, but let us help by sharing with you what we've learned.

There are not many positives about getting older, but gaining the experience and confidence to really not care what people think about you, your decisions and how you live your life is one of the best parts.  Always try to do what's right for you, not for your parents, or any other person.

Remember when you were a senior in high school and everybody was anxious to wear the sweatshirt of the college they would be attending?  At the time, it seemed so important to have the "right" sweatshirt even if you felt the college was not the "right" fit for you.  Well, what happened when you went to college?  By the end of the first week of school you probably forgot about high school and if you were lucky enough to be at a school that was a good fit, good for you, but if you ended up at a school because it was the "right" sweatshirt nobody but you really cares anymore.  Don't become paralyzed by what you think people will think about your decisions.  Move on with your life because that's what everybody else is doing.  Honestly, you are not that interesting and people are not following your every move.

While we are on the subject of not caring what other people think, now is a good time to get in the habit of saying, "I can't afford it."  That is nothing to be ashamed about.  If you have 20-something friends who have unlimited amounts of money, that's definitely the exception, and they're probably getting it from their parents.  Most people your age are just starting out and don't have money because they don't have a high-paying job.  You are not the only one without lots of disposable income, so don't be shamed in to spending money you don't have.  No purchase or adventure will give you the peace of mind that comes from having financial security, and financial security is not a function of how much money you make it's about how much you spend and save.  Credit card debt is a slippery slope, so please, please avoid it.  We'll talk more about finance and credit cards in future posts.

Don't make rash decisions and don't make any major decisions without a good night's sleep.  When you are overtired everything seems awful and problems insurmountable, but the light of a new day can change how you feel and literally your concerns may have gone away over night.  Remember when you were little and overtired and the slightest issue created a meltdown?  We do.  The only way you were going to feel better was to get sleep.  Things still work the same way even though you are grownup.  You need your sleep.

Finally, you are going to have to work hard.  There are no "get rich quick" schemes that are going to be successful, but hard work will lead to success.  Be patient.  You may have to work hard for years before you begin to see a payoff.  Yes, you are going to have to work hard.  Don't even think about fighting against that concept.  It's the way of the world today, you can do it, and when you work hard you can play hard.

Stayed tuned for the next post You Are Going to Need a Job for help on finding a job.