Advice for my younger self

Originally posted on Dark Obsession Chronicles.

I often think about my past and what I would change if I could do it all again. Living with any sense of regret probably isn’t the healthiest thing, but I think learning from mistakes IS important, particularly when you can pass that advice on to the next generation.

So if I could hop in the Delorian or some other time travel machine and have a Pepsi with my sixteen-year-old self, what would advice would I give him?

Well, besides slipping him a list of sports teams to bet on and lottery numbers to play, the first and most important thing I’d say is: Follow. Your. Heart. Although there’s a lot that can be said about making smart decisions and using your brain to make them, I personally believe that life is too short to be pragmatic all the time. Sometimes what seems like the smart decision, is really just the easy one and it won’t lead you to true happiness. For me, I went into accounting because I was reasonably good at it and I was pretty much guaranteed a decent-paying job after I graduated from college. I even stuck with it for 7 years! But was I ever really happy in that job? No. I made some good friends, saved a bit of money, and was able to move to Australia because of it though, so I don’t regret any of it, but I could have been doing something I loved all those years…writing books.

The next thing I would say is: If it doesn’t feel right it’s probably not right. That might come across as rather cryptic, but if interpreted correctly, would save him a lot of pain in the future. That being said, I wouldn’t want my younger self to avoid all the mistakes I made, as sometimes it’s our mistakes that allow us to grow the most and become a better version of ourselves.

Finally, I would tell teenager David Estes to enjoy every moment. The years pass by in a flash, and it’s the small moments in our lives that we regret not having appreciated at the time. Enjoy those moments when they’re happening, not ten years down the line when you wish you could do it all over again. Laugh more. Argue less. Count your blessings.

Although I still consider myself young at 33 years old (don’t you dare say I’m not!), to anyone younger out there who’s trying to find your way in life, I’d say to enjoy life NOW. Don’t always be looking ahead to a time you think will be better, like retirement. Love your high school years, love your college years, and love your adult lives. Every stage of your life, even the ones that feel the most awkward, are worth living to the fullest and equally important. Be yourself and don’t let anyone tell you you’re not special, because you are. Dream big and fight for what you believe in. Treat others with kindness and pay kindness paid to you forward to others who need it. Love with all your heart and don’t be afraid to let it be broken sometimes. It will heal and it will become stronger. Love you for you, and don’t try to remake yourself to satisfy someone else. Be you. Perfectly imperfect.

Now if I could just follow all my own advice, I could be the happiest man alive! In any case, we’re all human and we’re all connected and trying to live our lives as best as we can. And if we fail, we’re always allowed to get back up, even if we need someone to pull us from the front and push us from behind.