We Asked 20 Celebrities What Life Advice They Would Have Given to Their Younger Selves—And You’re Going to Want to Pay Attention
If you could sit down with your younger self for five minutes, what would you say? Stop worrying so much? Trust your gut? Wear sunscreen? (Seriously, wear the sunscreen.) Hindsight has a funny way of making everything look a whole lot clearer, and no matter how successful you become, there are always lessons you wish you’d learned a little sooner. Celebrities, as it turns out, are no exception.
We’ve interviewed some of the biggest names in entertainment—including Academy Award nominee and Emmy winner Angela Bassett, two-time Oscar winner Robert De Niro, and actress, model and bestselling author Brooke Shields—and asked them to share the advice they’d give their younger selves. And these are people who know a thing or two about dreaming big, taking risks, navigating setbacks and becoming seriously good at what they do. Their answers are honest, surprising and, above all, incredibly relatable. Think of it as a little hard-earned wisdom from people who’ve been there and now wish they could whisper it into their younger selves’ ears. Lucky for us, they’re sharing it with all of us instead.
Read on for the life advice these accomplished stars wish they’d known sooner. You just might find the words you need to hear.
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Eric Stonestreet
“I would say that it’s not that big of a deal. Most things that we get hung up on really turn out to be not that big of a deal. And you’ll know when they are [a big deal] as you move through life.”
Angela Bassett
“I give it to myself every day, because life is so hectic. I also give it to my kids, and they finish the phrase. I say, ‘You can’t dance.’ They say, ‘To every record.'”
Sheryl Lee Ralph
“Girl, be patient. Have patience. Trust me, it is all going to work out for you. The only people you really need to listen to and pay attention to are your parents, and use your sense of discernment. You will know those good mentors when they come along. But be patient, you little impatient person.”
Robert De Niro
“I have a lot of advice to give to my younger self. I remember I met a guy when I was a kid, maybe in my teens, and he was a salesman at a store and he said, ‘If I only knew then what I know now.’ So I have a lot to tell my younger self. Also, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do certain things, but be aware of the consequences. You have to learn through those experiences.”
Brooke Shields
“Like yourself more. Be kinder to yourself. And you don’t always have to say yes.”
Lance Bass
“Don’t care what people think of you. Live life for yourself and not for anyone else.”
Candice King
“Stop listening to the noise. Annie Lamott has this wonderful [concept], and she calls it Radio KFKD. It’s all the static and noise that can kind of cloud your brain. She talks about turning that noise down, so I would try to instill the concept of turning Radio KFKD down in my younger self’s brain.”
Neil Giraldo
“Don’t let people live inside your head that don’t belong there.”
Pat Benatar
“Keep doing what you have to do.”
Michelle Monaghan
Alison Sweeney
“Don’t worry so much. It’s all going to work out. You work hard, and people see that. So maybe don’t be so insecure about it. It’s happening.”
Ted Danson
“I can’t wait for you to see what’s happening next for you. I’d say relax and enjoy.”
Adrienne Bailon-Houghton
“I would say, learn that ‘no’ is your friend and not your enemy. I think it took me a really long time, and I’m still in my 40s learning how to get comfortable with saying no. When I was younger, I was OK with feeling uncomfortable just to make other people feel comfortable, and that wasn’t fair to me. Learning how to say no has been a gift.”
Meghan Trainor
“You’re doing great.”
Russell Wilson
“Keep going.”
Aja King
“I would tell her, ‘You are so smart and so beautiful just as you are. You don’t have to pretend to be anything else for anyone. You are enough.'”
Debra Messing
“Don’t listen to anyone. Just follow your instincts.”
Lisa Ann Walter
“Forget about the 10 pounds—just be the way you’re supposed to be. You’re going to ruin your metabolism and be miserable for your whole life. Forget it. And it’s someday in the near future that big butt that you have, that Sicilian Koolie, is going to be so popular that girls are going to try to buy it. So stop hating your butt.”
Jordin Sparks
“I would probably tell her that she’s doing great and that life is going to be so insane, more than you ever dreamed of, and to not sweat the small stuff.”
Barry Levinson
“Just deal with whatever seems like the thing I should do. Growing up, I never had an ambition, certainly not to direct or write or any of that. It wasn’t even in my conscious mind whatsoever. I just sort of followed things that interested me, but not knowing where that was going to go. I had no goals set. I was just [thinking], What am I attracted to? And I just went down that road.”
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