Dear 25 year old Debra,
Enjoy feeling you are on top of the world. Married to a successful self made business man, mother of a 2 year old son and pregnant with the second.
Just realize that life is ever changing. Money comes and goes. Especially being self employed, you have to stay on your game and keep up with the trends.
Don’t let money define you. Earn respect by being a good, honest humble person. Humility is the greatest trait. Always work hard and save. Rainy days come by more than expected. Once you have a career, stick to what you know. It is so easy to be side tracked into opportunities that are too good to be true, run the hell away.
Stay close to and cherish your family. Your siblings will be your warriors through thick and thin, so be good to each other. You come from the same beginnings and only you can understand that.
The loss of loved ones will break you, but the old cliché of time heals, is true. Focus on the good in your life and be thankful for the positives to get you through.
Your children are on loan to you, bring them up to be the kind of human beings you can be proud of. You are not their friends, you are their guides, their foundation and their safety nets. Teach them to be self sufficient in the big wide world. Education is key to success. Being street smart sure helps.
Most importantly keep smiling and keep that happy disposition about you. It is the most attractive quality a person can own.
25 years later,
Debra
