 Dear young person, like Fatema Manesi said, whenever you are about to embark on an adventure, you have to think about the landing, not about the takeoff. So whenever you feel like flying, think about how and where you will end up. You are energetic, you are curious, and should be told, your friends easily sway you. That is the truth about most young people. You are full of life, you have a lot of unanswered questions. You keep trying to know your boundaries in the home and the society, and these may get you into trouble or ruin the rest of your life. It takes just a second for a blow to end your life or destroy it and make it miserable. The good news is that miserable adult life can be avoided if you do not want such. The bad news is that it is easier to get a bad life than a good one because a good life takes work and time and energy. Many young people leave as though life ends at a young age. They forget that life goes on and they become older and get more responsibilities. Their bodies and organs get weaker and they can only depend on what they built when they had the energy and time. Many young people forget that you plant the tree today so that you can sit under the shade tomorrow. Young people indulge in dangerous habits, habits which have led many to prison, patterns which have killed some of them, practices which have ruined the lives of many, and habits which have cost pain to their loved ones. Many young people have laid a bad foundation for their older self and in about 10 years from now, they would be leaving a life full of regrets wishing they could turn back their hands of time. This doesn't have to be your story. Of the many bad habits indulged in by young people, five of them are mentioned below. These habits are listed so that you stay void of them and build a life you will be proud of in the future. Stop the following practices if you want a good life. 1. Giving Importance to Fake Life of Social Media Social media and the fake glamorous life portrayed there by many has made many young people lose their focus in life. They believe everything they see there and practice unhealthy comparisons which make them depressed and anxious. They develop low self esteem and see their lives as not being enough. They spend too much of their time on social media watching the fake lives of others while their life passes them by. The time that they should use to build and lay the foundation for a great future is spent on refreshing news feeds and timelines and they develop a fear of losing out FOMO. This fear keeps them focused on the lives of influencers and celebrities who are making money from their views while they keep their lives in a standstill. Instead of spending so much time doing something unproductive, as a young person, you can spend your time learning new skills for the future. You can take online courses and learn different things which will keep you relevant in the future. You can learn how to do anything on the internet. You can use your time on the internet to grow your worth instead of reducing it by watching fake lives of social media. 2. Practicing Negative Self-Talk Dear young person, you need to realize that you are whatever you say you are. You talk negatively about yourself long enough and you start to believe it. You believe it long enough and you start to begin to act it and be it. That is the power of whatever you tell yourself about you. So tell yourself what you want to be true. Tell yourself positive things and soon you start believing and acting like it. Avoiding negative self-talk means there is no place for I can't. The moment you say I can't, your brain shuts down and you cease to look for ways you could have. However, if you ask, how can I, your mind looks out for opportunities to get it done. Avoiding negative self-talk means saying something positive about yourself at every opportunity you get. Appreciate your smile, your strength, your sharp mind, etc. Give yourself a pat on the back for whatever good you do. It is easier to slap your forehead when you make a mistake but barely do people pat themselves at the back for a job well done. Practice positive self-talk and your life will be more positive. Number 3. Procrastination Time waits for no one and every second wasted cannot be regained. Also, time is the unit of life and every second you watch crawling away was part of your life. There is a tendency for many young people to procrastinate when it comes to essential things. They think that there will still be time later. There is a time for everything and if the time is lost you will be using the time for something else to meet up and that is how people get stressed out and behind shadow. Many people postpone what should be done now and before they know it they are middle aged and many things are out of place. They are scared of leaving their comfort zone and when they wake up they are filled with regrets and lots of unanswered questions. Get to it. Whatever you know you should be doing, get that diploma, read that book, take that course, make that apology, pay that debt, go on that journey, do what you have to do and do it now. Sometimes, people procrastinate on the little things and before they know it it becomes enormous. Make that bed, do those dishes, read that mail, clear that desk, wipe that surface, do that laundry, do what you have to do. When you practice doing everything at the time you should, you will find that your life becomes organized and you have little reasons to stress out. Stop procrastinating, do what you have to do now. As Jack Confield said, the trouble is you think you have time. 4. Having negative relationships It has been said over and again that you are the sum of the product of your relationship. Still, many people keep negative associations and with time they are rooted in negativity and are wondering how things got that bad. If you are in a relationship that is not good for you, no matter how hard it is to break free, get out of that relationship. The more you stay with someone, the more you become like the person. If your friends are violent, give it time and you will become violent. If your friends are thieves, one day you will find yourself in a prison cell. If your friends are abusive, not only will you be abusive, you will also become abusive. Stay clear of negative relationships as they will scare and damage you for the rest of your life. Be intentional about your relationships, pick your friends and observe them, think of how you want your future to be and see if they would play a positive role in getting you there. If the answer is anything other than yes, don't get close to them, surround yourself with good friends. They may not be cool but they are the best for you. 5. Experimenting with harmful practices Out of curiosity and peer pressure, many young people engage in corrupt practices even when they know the possible outcomes. Experimenting with drugs for a little fun might be the beginning of your downfall. You may be hooked on the first experiment and you will have to fight with a lifetime of addiction. Having a little fun from robbing that store may land you in prison and open a can of worms or stain your record for life. Even in that sexual excapade because everyone is doing it may end you a disease or an unplanned pregnancy. Unhealthy feeling habits may look like freedom but as you get older, your body begins to face the consequences of unhealthy food. These consequences may be diseases like diabetes and other degenerative illness. It might not be instant but the rewards of harmful practices come when people get older and they are filled with regrets. Instead of experimenting with these practices, experiment with greatness and good causes, you might get connection which will make your life better than you ever imagined. As young people, there is temptation to think that you are indestructible or that you have a lot of time to live right in the future. What you forget is that tomorrow is not promised and one silly action might turn out to be a grave mistake you would regret for the rest of your life. While it is necessary to relax and have fun, ensure that the fun is clean and safe. While living your life to the fullest, ensure that it is not an avenue to destroy your life and ensure that everything you do will make your older self happy. The above listed dangerous habits can ruin the lives of people. The ruin may take place over time or at the snap of a finger. As a young person, live right and you will enjoy life as you get older.