Hello, 18-year old me? Can You Hear Me Now?

What would I tell my almost 18-year-old self if I could talk to her?

Natalie Ruiz

In February, I turned 38.

If you know me, you know my goal age from kindergarten has been 44. I have had a lot of reasons for this being a goal age, including believing I would be old enough to be secure, confident, and settled while being young…