It’s exactly two months and nine days until I turn 26. In most of my college classes, I’m considered the old one. I’m officially closer to 30 than 20 and I’m not entirely sure how I feel about it.
All in all, I’ve learned a lot from my 20s so far, which brings me to the point of this blog: I’m going to impart some pieces of wisdom now, or what I think is wisdom. So here it goes, six lessons my 20s taught me, one for every year so far.
1. Stop caring what everyone thinks of you.
You’re not going to please everyone and there’s always going to be someone who doesn’t like you, so why bother? It’s exhausting.
What really matters is what you think of yourself. If there are things you want to change, change them, but don’t do it to make someone else happy.
While changing may temporarily please the other person, it probably is going to leave you feeling like crap because you can’t be yourself.
This brings me to my next point.
2. Let your freak flag fly.
Take it from me, learning who you are and exactly where you fit in the grand scheme of things is a rough road. I get it. I’m a 5-foot-2-inch ginger with skin so white it could blind you.
I could easily be classified as a leprechaun. I enjoy dressing up and going to the grocery store in outfits so ugly the word “out” shouldn’t be connected to the word “fit” in any way, shape or form.
I say inappropriate things for laughs, and I dance in public places where dancing generally isn’t accepted. I’m weird, and that’s okay.
Show people the real you and you’ll be surprised how receptive others will be.
3. Be firm in your wants and needs.
Don’t be afraid to be vocal about the things you truly want in life. More importantly, don’t let others make you feel stupid for wanting those things.
Make sure to surround yourself with people who have similar goals and can help encourage you to achieve what you want most in life, not hold you back.
4. You better work, bitch.
As cliche and corny as it sounds, nothing good comes easy. If you want that Bugatti Britney keeps singing about, you have to work hard.
While wanting something is the first step to realizing a dream, simply wanting doesn’t get you any results and neither does doing the bare minimum. If you really want something, you have to focus all your energy toward achieving it.
5. There is power in positive thinking.
It may not be true for everyone, but for me, positive, focused thinking brings positive results.
If you really want something, focus on it every day, harnessing all your energy to attaining the goal. You’ll be surprised how the universe makes a way to help you achieve your innermost desires.
6. Not everyone is meant to be in your life forever.
Friends and lovers come and go. Sometimes, for some reason, you grow apart from those you love most, and the general tendency is to hold on for dear life and try our damnedest not to let the person go.
This, however, is futile. Think of people as teachers, helping you along your life’s journey.
You can’t stay in the same classroom forever, at some point you have to graduate.