Happy Birthday to me, I’m ONLY 26 lol…just kidding. Here are some life lessons I wish I knew when I was in my 20s.
- Intentionally Choose to be happy
Life has it’s challenges and we are constantly bombarded with happenings in our family , community circles, and even the world at large. Things have just gotten crazier in the past few years and we wonder what tomorrow will bring. In all this though, we must intentionally choose to find happiness, especially in our twenties. Why? you may ask..because as you grow older you will have more responsibilities and commitments that you have to will not be able to get away from. Hang out with friends, go dancing, do what your heart desires ( responsibly of course)
2. DO NOT SETTLE
You know that feeling you get when you are being short changed and being taken for granted? You hope things will change or convince yourself that you are overreacting. Just STOP! Walk away from any situation that does not meet your standards. If you settle for less, you will get much less than you deserve because the other party knows you do not have standards that you abide by. When you say no to substandard experiences, you open yourself up to new opportunities that will drive you close to your goals and a better life.
3. Do not hesitate to ask for help
Contrary to what many believe, asking for help when you need it proves that you know your strengths and weaknesses and that you value yourself. Many big brand companies are what they are because they seek help from people who have specialized and are good at what they do. No one person can do everything all by themselves. Asking for help is to be embraced and not anything to be ashamed of.
4. Get ready to be fired
You are going to get hired and fired a lot while you are in your 20s and its OK. You need money to pay bills and get by and so you will find yourself doing odd jobs here and there but being let go for under performance , tardiness or even disobedience may be painful at first, but its a chance to learn new skills, learn to be responsible and may even take you on an entrepreneurial journey.
5. Save your money
My twenties were tumultuous – I had a crazy college schedule and worked full time too, it was insane. I had a lot more energy and barely slept. Do not take this agility for granted. As you grow older, you will find that you want to only work fewer hours each day. If you have stacked cash , then you can be picky in what you want to do in your 30s and 40s. Otherwise you will find yourself having to put in a lot of time to do work and your body may not have the same capacity as before. Knowing this then, I would advise my twenty year old self to save money as much as possible. Creating a budget and sticking to it can go along way in creating financial freedom. I cannot emphasize enough about developing good money habits especially in twenties because this will help you develop muscle memory on managing your finances.
6. Go for quality not quantity
When you are into quantity, you are on the hunt for things of numeric value. That is ,you may want cheaper shoes, hundreds of friends and so forth . If these have no substance or depth, then you are wasting your time and money. For instance a cheap laptop will cost you less but you may find yourself back in the market looking for another device because the cheap one broke down and needs fixing. Always choose quality if you want to live a happier and more fulfilling life.
7. Don’t worry about timelines
So you have set a goal to do a, b and c by age 35, 40 etc.You know what they say about man making plans and God laughing….If you are open to learning and growing then, you will mature and so will your way of thinking. As you grow older you will find yourself choosing different careers, hanging around different people and doing things you never thought you would do. Take it all in and allow life to unfold 
8. Learn from your mistakes
Similar to my point above! Being young is a time to try out whatever you want to do. Go out there and learn from others, try it out on your own and then sit and analyze to see what works and what is a mistake. Once you know this , it’s time to take action to counter your mistake. Do not dwell on the mistake because it will not be beneficial to you.
9. Only you can make yourself happyHappiness really does come from within. When you are in your twenties, you are still trying to figure things out and may seek validation and approval from the outside world. We are responsible for our happiness and the actions we take are a guide for others to use when around us.
10. Make self care a part of your routine
I cannot remember a time in my life when it was all bliss, there is always something that needs to be taken care of, a challenge to overcome, responsibilities and more. Through all this, nothing is more important than practicing self care. Take time out for yourself, rest and do what makes you relax. Self care can help you emotionally, physically and mentally, which can then lead to a well rounded individual.Cheers!
Good read