For questions 19-24, choose from the sentences A-H the one which best fits the gap.
There are two sentences that you do not need.
Mark your answer on the answer sheet.
There is an example at the beginning (0).
What I wish I had known when I was younger
I recently celebrated another year of life and I began to contemplate the lessons I would pass on to my younger self. (0) Whether you are young or young at heart, it is never too late to change – or incorporate some new (and better) practices into your everyday life. So, here's what I wish I had known when I was younger. We worry too much about what people around us think of us, our decisions and our actions.
Everyone around you has an opinion, but in reality, others' opinions of you are based more on their history and perceptions than anything you're actually doing. So ask for feedback, but rely on your own assessment of yourself rather than that of others. Clinging to past mistakes, if only in your own eyes, holds you back from moving forward in your life.
Consider them little things that you need to let roll off your back. Otherwise, they will keep you stuck in the past. Don’t waste your energy dwelling on irredeemable slights, resentment or disappointment. Let go of previous insults, criticisms, setbacks. They only weigh you down. To succeed in what you have planned, you need to put your shoulder to the wheel. You may have to trudge through the trenches of planning, building, refining, redefining, moving up, down or out before you get to the place where success clicks.
And remember – failure is the mother of all success. Contrary to what you have been sold by the ‘lifestyles of the wealthy and happy’ illusion, money does not equate to happiness.
It is simply a currency that allows you to eat, dress and live. Satisfaction with a job well done, putting effort into building friendships, contributing to something worthwhile and finding something you enjoy doing are more motivating goals and certainly lend themselves to a happier and less stressful life. We have so much to do, so much to accomplish and it feels as though we have to be in a hurry to get there. However, it is not a race. It is likely that you will live upwards of 80 years.
But if you try to do everything at once, you will, at best, not have time to enjoy it, and, at worst, burn out and damage your health and relationships. Celebrate the happy moments, big and small. Search for the lesson and opportunity for growth in what is difficult. Give helpful encouragement and build a network of friendly support.
But don’t let them colour your experience. If you view the world around you and life’s challenges through the lens of goodness, then you will find life much more enjoyable. Life is serious – and sometimes awful – but you can still be upbeat and hopeful. Otherwise, what’s the point?
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