Looking back at my younger years, I am sometimes amazed¹ at how life has turned out. Nothing is exactly what I had originally planned for. The only thing that stays the same is who I am, my values, and my interests. If I could go back in time and hang out with my younger self for a day, here's what I would tell her.

回首年轻的时候，有时我会惊讶于生活的变迁。一切都不是我最初计划的样子，唯一不变的是我自己、我的价值观和我的兴趣。如果我能回到过去和年轻时的自己漫步一整天，下面就是我要对自己说的。

1. Everything happens for a reason.

一切事情都有原因。

Without mistakes and failure, you would never have learned². Without pain, you would never have grown. Once you understand this，you will know that everything comes in to serve a purpose. So don't stress or think that life is unfair, because everything happens for a reason. And only time will tell what it will teach us.

要是没有错误和失败，你就不会学到东西；要是没有痛苦，你就不会长大。一旦你明白了这些，你就知道了一切事情都是为了某种目的而发生。所以不要紧张或者认为生活不公平，因为一切事情都有原因，只有时间能诉说教会了我们什么。

2. Focus on one thing at a time. You can have it all but not all at once.

一次只关注一件事。你将会拥有一切，但不能一次就全部实现。

It is not surprising that many of us are doing too many things at once. We need to make ends meet. But if you are working three jobs at a time, it is not likely that you will succeed at any of them. You have to keep your eyes on the big picture. You have to ask yourself what exactly do you want to achieve for the next 10 years? Focus on one thing at a time. Achieve your goals one by one.

我们中有很多人会同时做超多事情，这并不奇怪，我们需要养家糊口。但如果你同时做3份工作，每份工作你都不可能做好。你要着眼于大局，问问自己未来10年究竟想要达到什么目标。一次只做一件事，让目标一个接一个实现。

3. You can plan ahead, but your plan will definitely³ change when the time comes.

你可以提前计划，但计划没有变化快。

You can plan ahead because sometimes planning ahead can give you a clearer direction of where you want to go. However, plans will almost always change, so be prepared!

你可以提前做好计划，因为有时提前做计划能让你更加明确自己前进的方向。然而计划总是会变，所以你要有心理准备！

4. Trust your instincts⁴.

相信自己的直觉。

Don't worry too much about a decision you have to make. Just do what feels right. You know what you want. You might consult other people. But deep down, you know what you want. Do what makes you happy. Because at the end of the day, even if you follow logic⁵, you will want to quit and follow your heart.

做决定时不要过于担心，就做你认为对的事，你知道自己想要什么。你可能要咨询他人，但内心深处你知道自己想要什么。做让你开心的事，因为到最后，即使你的决定符合逻辑也会想放弃，然后追随你的心。

5. It's okay to be unsure about your purpose in life.

生活目标不明确也没关系。

You might be graduating or have hit a turning point with your career. You might feel a bit lost and unsure of where to go. It's okay. Go out there and try as many different things as you can. Don't ever feel like you're wasting your time. Enjoy the journey. Don't rush. Every little path will lead you somewhere. And looking back, you will be able to connect the dots. It will all make sense.

你可能正面临毕业或事业遇到转折点，你可能会感觉有点迷失、找不到方向，没关系，走出去尽可能多尝试不同的事情。不要觉着自己是在浪费时间。享受过程，不要着急，每条路都会把你带向远方。回首时你就能把点点滴滴联系在一起，发现一切都有意义。

6. Don't try too hard with people.

与人交往不能强求。

Don't worry if you feel like it's hard to make new friends. Just be yourself and be as open as you can. It might take a while until you find new best friends and a mate⁶ for life, but when you do, you will know it. It's not hard work. So, just do your thing and be yourself.

如果你感觉很难交到新朋友也不必担心，只要做好你自己、尽可能真诚就可以。可能需要一段时间你才能找到新的最好的朋友和终生伴侣，但当你找到了你就知道，这一点也不难。所以你要做好自己的事、做好你自己。

7. Take of leap of faith in yourself.

提高自信。

You've got nothing to lose but everything to gain. If you fail, you'll become smarter; If you succeed, you'll gain even more self-confidence and the emotional⁷ and financial rewards. See life as a progressive⁸ journey. And you'll most certainly achieve anything you set your mind to.

你没什么可失去的，但你可以赢得一切。如果你失败了，你会变得更精明；如果你成功了，你会获得更多自信以及精神和金钱上的回报。把生活看成一个发展的过程，才最有可能做成你一心想做的事。