None.
My daughter called this weekend from Oxford.
She’s deep in her thesis, exhausted, focused, and quietly proud.
But in her voice, I heard something new.
More confidence. More depth.
The kind of change that happens when you’ve had to figure things out on your own, far from home.
We talked for a while. I gave her space to vent.
After we hung up, one quiet question lingered:
Is she ready for life?
She’s done the work. She’s brilliant, thoughtful, responsible.
But even at the highest levels of education, I wonder if we’re really preparing young people for what actually matters.
We teach them how to follow rules, meet expectations, build résumés.
But when do we teach them how to live?
• How to sit with the discomfort of not knowing what comes next
• How to fail, and not spiral
• How to make a decision when both paths come with risk
• How to have an honest money conversation with yourself
• How to recognize anxiety in your own body
• How to regulate your emotions when everything feels too much
• How to say no to something that looks good but doesn’t feel right • How to be alone without feeling lost
These are the lessons that shape a life.
And yet, they’re rarely taught (at least not on purpose).
It would begin with identity and self-awareness.
What drives you? Where did those beliefs come from?
How does your personality shape your patterns?
How do you start working with your wiring instead of against it?
Then we’d explore values, mindset, and how we think.
What matters most beyond the noise?
How do you set boundaries, pause before reacting, and trust your gut?
We’d talk about emotional regulation.
How to name what you’re feeling before it hijacks your day.
How to calm your system.
How to carry fear, disappointment, joy and still move forward.
And yes, money.
Not just how to earn it, but how to relate to it.
How to separate financial shame from strategy.
How to spend in ways that reflect your values.
We’d dive into love, friendship, and human connection.
How to fight well. How to walk away well.
How to stay connected without losing yourself.
We’d leave room for purpose, rest, ritual.
And cover the basics like how to negotiate, read a lease, file taxes, or ask for help without guilt.
Not to create perfect adults, just prepared ones.
Not to hand over answers, but to help ask better questions.
Life is a DIY project. No one can live your life for you.
There’s no blueprint. No “Welcome to Life” manual.
But understanding the fundamentals of being human, how your mind works, what drives behavior, how to care for your inner world, can make the jungle feel a little less wild.
If you could go back and teach your younger self one thing school forgot… What would it be?
And how did you learn it?
