Advice to Myself

Normally I'd be reluctant to write this way. But if I could go back in time I would advice myself to recognize that the way to happiness arises of itself though the end of suffering.  I know the only advice one can offer is that which one is able to receive. I remember the curiosity of youth as well as my own innocence. Good advice depends upon receptivity and it should be based on shared experience rather than opinion. With this in mind and a caring heart I offer this perspective looking back at what is known.
One should recognize and accept the fact that if you live well, youth is brief and truly all your life is spent growing older. Childhood last about 15 years, and young adulthood may be another 15 years; women peak physically earlier then men, and males reach their athletic peak by 30, when highly trained. If not well trained one peaks sooner and at a lower level of capacity. You will see that only a few exceptions can truly compete athletically after 35.
So from 30 to 80 are 50 years of aging; which demand maturity. If you smoke and drink, worry or hate; you begin to grow old almost immediately at least within a few years. It's well known that there is a universal law of cause and effect. It works in physics as well as in all that we do. It works on mental and spiritual levels as well as the physical. You can try to deny the obvious, but it won't go away. All our stress is cumulative and it's much easier to avoid, rather then try to mitigate it after the fact.
No matter what your poison; whether it's fat or sugar, drugs or alcohol, hatred or greed, it will have its way with you. You know the saying you are what you eat? Don't doubt it; because you will also eat the way you are. All your thoughts and feelings leave a mark on your own psyche. Whenever and whatever you `dump' upon one another will stay with you and sicken within you.
In case you don't know this; you have to face it now; we all suffer. The only way to mitigate that fact is; to be wise, and to do `good'; or to die. Those are the three choices we all face; to suffer, to mitigate suffering, or to die; and the third is the easiest of the three. The second is the most rewarding and the first is the hardest. We can't change others, but we can understand our self. Any issues we face are rooted within us. We can't change others or the past, but we can learn something from our every thought, feeling and action; and this we must do. If we learn, and we change, and act, the world will be a better place, and if we don't, suffering will increase.

So when you find a way that you truly feel will lead you to a deeper peace and a perception of truth; then remember it always and never forget to follow that way. This seems clear to me. I wish you all the best; wisdom, peace, true love for all and happiness.