You live and you learn, right? Life is a marathon, not a sprint, and we all make a lot of mistakes along the way.
It’s part of the growing process and all of us have thought about what we’d say to our younger selves if we could go back in time and give that young person some advice (and maybe a smack across the face).
In this Twitter thread, professional working women sound off on what they’d say to their younger selves if it was possible.
First, the question…
To my working women friends: If you could give your younger working self any advice, what would you say?
— Amy Nelson (@Amy_K_Nelson) February 18, 2020
And then this fierce AF advice!
1. Speak up!
Make your invisible work visible. If you don’t communicate your value, no one else is going to do it for you.
— Leslie Lovato (@leslie_lovato) February 19, 2020
2. Ask as many questions as you want.
Don’t apologize for asking clarifying questions.
— elle. (@ElleLBee) February 20, 2020
3. Not sustainable.
A job where you can’t take an occasional sick day or planned vacation without falling behind or feeling guilty about what you’re leaving to coworkers is one where the office is understaffed or you are overloaded. Neither is sustainable.
— EmIpsaLoquitur (@EmIpsaLoquitur) February 19, 2020
4. Build relationships.
Do not put your entire self-worth in the hands of one person aka your boss. Build relationships with people all over your company and most importantly in OTHER companies and industries so your network becomes your superpower. Also build an external personal brand.
— Dona Sarkar (@donasarkar) February 18, 2020
5. We’re all replaceable.
No job will care about your personal quality of life. They will replace you in a minute. Do not sacrifice your health and family….definitely not yourself
— yanaba (@yanaba9) February 18, 2020
6. Trust in yourself.
You know better than your parents what career path is best for you
— Ms. Young Professional (@MsYoungProfess) February 18, 2020
7. But be polite about it…
Politely tell more people to f*ck off ?
— Kim Taylor (@kimmytaylor) February 18, 2020
8. Ain’t nothing but a number.
There will be about a two minute gap between when you’re being told you’re too young for the job and when you’re told you’re too old for the job. Don’t listen to any of it. Age is unwinnable for women.
— Megan K. Stack (@Megankstack) February 19, 2020
9. It’s okay to take risks.
I followed this path and recommend it:
Take that chance everyone else thinks is crazy.
It will show you are unique & not afraid to take risks.I moved to Finland, sight unseen, at 22 to be a radio reporter. Berlin Wall fell 2 months later; USSR 2 years later. Front row me!?
— Teri Schultz (@terischultz) February 19, 2020
10. Don’t let this happen.
Don’t let other people take credit for things you’ve done. It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t bother you – the minute you let them take an inch, they’ll take a mile.
Also: f*ck everyone who told you you should dress or look a certain way.
— Alanah Pearce (@Charalanahzard) February 20, 2020
11. Not everyone has to like you.
Don’t take everything so personally. Also, it’s ok if not everyone likes you.
— Buried By Books ?????????? (@FiFiRobTO) February 19, 2020
12. This is crucial.
Always, always counteroffer and fight for more pay when being hired.
— Angela Gillette (@gillette_girl) February 19, 2020
13. You’re a leader.
In the words of one of MY mentors: “Go through your resume and take out all the times you said you helped lead. Say you led instead. Men constantly lie about that sh^t and they’re the ones who get the jobs.”
— Tanis Fowler (@TanisFowler) February 19, 2020
14. Some good advice.
Negotiate every offer. Get everything in writing. Look out for spies. Write shorter emails. Recognize the difference between your manager being IN a decision-making process and your manager already having MADE the decision.
— Anna Maltby (@amalt) February 19, 2020
15. You deserve to get paid.
Don’t do any unpaid work with the hopes of it translating to future paid work. It’ll only set up a dynamic to be devalued.
— dr timaree (@timaree_leigh) February 19, 2020
Some pretty good life advice there, don’t you think?
What would you say to your younger self if you had the opportunity? It’s an intriguing question, that’s for sure.
Let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear from you!