What advice would you give your 21- year-old self?

Recently I came across a Youtube video: "What advice would you give your 21- year-old self?" In the video, I learn great advice and insights from strong women from different backgrounds and cultures. The message is simple, yet inspiring.

So I'm challenging myself. I'm thinking, what advice will I give to my younger self? 

1. Don't give up.
In my past I sometimes gave up. Maybe I lose interest, maybe I was lazy, or thought that "it's not for me". I quit learning how to ride a bicycle after I fell the first time (when I was 5). I quit my piano lessons when I was 17 because I was interested too much in my drama club at high school. Which is fine, because I don't bike anyway and I'm not earning a living by playing piano. But, one of my biggest mistakes in life, is that I gave up pursuing my dreams working as a banker when I moved from Indonesia to USA 11 years ago. I settled to work in any job, and everyday I was miserable. I was not happy. I keep imagining the glory days I had when I was a banker in Jakarta, and keep comparing my life here and then. So, when I was given a chance to find new work, this time I didn't give up easily. I focused on getting a job that I want and finally I got the dream job. A banker. And I couldn't be more happier.

2. Set a goal.
When I was in college (first year), I charted a road map of which classes I need to take each semester, if I want to finish my study in 3.5 years. I was dedicated to ensure I get my bachelor degree on time. I determined to not waste my parents's money and time, because they have invested too much in me. I don't want to disappoint them. Because I have a goal in line, I successfully finished my degree in 4 years and graduated cum laude. The goal helped me to focus on what I need to do to reach my destination. Yes, it took half a year later then what I predicted, but it's okay. The most important thing is that I finished the run and get to where I want to be. It's been a long time since I finished my school, but I still applied this principle in daily basis. If you ask me now, I still have goals. Whether it's a career goal, health goal, family goal, or even vacation goal! Having a goal is very important, because this way you don't just drift away in life and getting nowhere.

3. Don't stress/worry too much.
By nature, maybe because I'm a woman, I stress easily. But most of the times, these things that I'm worrying about, it's not really worth it. So now, when I stumble across a problem, I ask myself,"Will I carry this to my grave?". If the answer is no, then no need to sweat it. Adding a stress is not doing an ounce thing to solve the problem. Don't worry, be happy!

4. Take a break. Have fun.
In my generation, we have a saying,"work hard, play harder". Somehow I forgot this great quote after all these years. I was a workaholic, I think about my job long after I'm gone from the office, and I never stop obsessing things that I can improve at my job. So my wise husband gave me a valuable input,"Take a break, have fun", and then dragged me to the family room to watch "Star Trek". He knows I can't resist good movies. And the funny thing is, after taking a break, I feel refreshed, energized, and feel ready to tackle the next thing. Now, when I'm home, I'm home. I don't think about my work anymore, because I know work will always be there when I return.  And at work, I do take breaks seriously. I read books. Play games. Even it's only for 10 minutes. Taking a break is very healthy for working people, because after break, we are recharged and will be able to work more productively.

5. Always learn.
Learn what you want to improve. Learn for things that you don't understand but need to understand (e.g. personal finance, investment, how to cook salmon properly, etc). It's exciting to learn new things! It stimulates our brain, motivates our spirit, and peaking up our curiosity. Revisit old books to refresh your point of view. Learn from great people who shares their skills from internet, there's tons information there. You can learn from anything: books, TV, movies, internet, etc. You can learn from anybody: grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts, siblings, spouses, children, nephews, nieces, neighbors, bosses, coworkers, customers, audiences, and so on. Never stop learning. Brush up your skills. Sharpen your axe.

6. Sleep 8 hours every night.
When I was 18, 34, and 35, I didn't sleep for 2-3 days straight in a row, and it caused serious mental damage to myself. I'm not going into details what happened (because I don't remember it anyway), but I learn the hard way that my body needs sleep 8 hours every single night. I underestimated the power of sleep, and boy, how I was wrong! Sleep is more important than anything else, including money! Sleep is even more important than just taking a break. Sleep heals and repair our heart and blood vessels. By loosing sleep, I increase the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. Now, if I want to live until 100, I need to start taking care of myself (eat healthy, exercise, eliminate stress, etc) and that's including sleep. Beside, sleep is considered to be sufficient to keep one looking young and beautiful!