Wisdom From The 20s!

30s! Arguably, the most hyped and scary number in our society. Today as I touch this dreaded number, I reflect what I have and haven’t achieved in life by now. How many goals are ticked-off my list and what is yet to be achieved.  Though it kind of doesn’t really match up with what society expects us to be before we are 30, but when have I ever listened to it. 😉 Stepping into this new decade armed with some wisdom from the 20s.

Here’s my list of lessons:

1. Learn To Drive: Almost half way through it but this definitely tops the list of things to achieve before hitting 30. It certainly is a life skill, and essential to lead to an independent life.
2. Educate Yourself: Get a Diploma or a degree. But gain education. It will be the start of an independent life.
3. Get A Job: It doesn’t matter if it’s small or big, but when a certain amount credits into account at the end of the month, the joy is explicable. It’s the first step for financial independence.
4. Learn Finances: Knowing how to handle personal finances, it will definitely lead to a great mental peace.
5. Save and Invest: Starting to save early in life and investing the money wisely only ensures a smooth lifestyle. Having an emergency fund is equally important.
6. Focus on Health: Can’t focus enough on this one though because life is if health is!
7. Have a Skincare Routine: Another thing that need topmost priority. Our skin is often the worst sufferer of our ways of the 20s. So start taking care of it early. Wash that makeup off before hitting the bed can be the start of it for sure.
8. Learn To Cook: Besides being therapeutic experience for sure, cooking the delicacies you love will give you a new sense of achievement.
9. Love yourself: If only we gave ourselves the love that we keep try to shower on others, specially in our twenties. Looking around for all around when all we need is to look within and the love will find you.
10. Live by Yourself: 20s is often the time of experiments and our lifestyle is often one of them. So, move out of your parent’s house and get your place. Doesn’t matter if it’s a rented or shared accommodation. Managing a separate household gives you experiences no school can teach otherwise.
11. Learn to be Alone: Go solo! Indulge yourself for lunches/dinners and even movies. Walk alone amidst the market crowd. Watch the sunset alone. Learning to be tranquil in your own company is one of the greatest blessings.
12. Travel: Travel a lot. Period. Because as the age catches up so does the responsibilities. So travel as much as you can and see the beautiful world around.
13. Have a Hobby: Read. Paint. Write. Or do anything in the world that makes your eyes shine and makes your soul happy. Take out time to do this more often.
14. Accept your flaws: We become quite critical of ourselves, of our traits and our actions, in our twenties. Learn to accept your flaws and then work towards them. Nobody’s perfect. Perfection is a myth.
15. Prioritize Mental Health: Our society doesn’t really count this one as essential but I definitely do. At any given point of time, let nobody take you on a ride against your mental peace. Fight for it! It’s definitely worth it.
16. Learn to be Kind: If true love is rare, kindness is even rarer. Be the one who has it and shares it. World needs more it. Remember, everyone is fighting their own battles.
17. Dream: Be fearless and brave in your dreams. This is the time, usually with the least of responsibilities and liabilities for many of us, to dream wildly and make those dreams true! Remember, regrets never made anyone better.
18. Understand it’s okay to feel lost: It’s completely okay to feel lost while in search of your dreams. It’s when we are lost, we find who we truly are!
19. Make Mistakes: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Twenties are the time when you can learn the most, specially from your mistakes. Have your own experiences and let them teach you a thing or two in the meantime.
20. Journal: Start a journal. Apart from being therapeutic, it is gives you an insight into yourself. Write down your thoughts every once in a while, to get I touch with your innermost self.
21. Build your own style: By 30s, we all have a certain style that we create for ourselves. Start early. Dress smartly. Gather the basics right and build the style. So, when you walk in the room, the world knows the queen has walked in!
22. Don’t be a Control-Freak: There are and there will be situations beyond your control. Stop trying to be in control of everything and take responsibility. It only challenges your peace of mind and hardly gets you the solutions you need. Let things take their own course of time sometimes.
23. Escape FOMO: Having Fear Of Missing Out is a major cause of unhappiness as this makes us ignore the bliss we have in our own bucket. Everyone is on their own journey with their own speed. Feeling like you are missing out by just looking everyone’s flashy side of the journey will only cause despair.
24. Accept your failures: Unlike how society teaches us, failures are very much part of our lives as much as any success and they require to be accepted. They need to be taken as learnings and grow.
25. Define Success: Our Society defines a very restricted picture of success since our birth. Instead of being confined to this definition, unlearn the standards and define the one that suits you and makes you at peace. It can be anything from being on the top of the ladder to watching sunrise with your partner.
26. Maintain Friendships: Often in the race to reach our goals, our closest friendships die a slow death. Keep in touch with the people who mean the most, they are the pillars of your happy times.
27. Learn to Forgive: Life will get you people and situations which will hurt you, but learn to forgive. Forgiveness is indeed the greatest virtue and easiest (okay, may be the hardest) ticket to mental peace.
28. Learn To Let Go: Time will teach you this biggest lesson of life in strangest of ways. So, you got to lock this mantra in your head and be ready to let go. Be it people (even the ones the you love the most), cities, jobs, memories, friendships, grudges and many more.
29. Accept other people as they are: When you move out of the comfort zone of school and college friends, you will find there aren’t many people you can confide in. You will start to see faults and flaws easily. Let it be. Everyone has them. Let’s not be so critical of people and accept them as they are.
30. Accept Changes: As you let go of the things that don’t take you forward, changes will occupy a constant space in your life. Accept these. It’s the only way ahead. Holding on to the past will only make you stay where you are.
31. Be Grateful: At last, don’t forget to be grateful for everything in your life. Recognize, acknowledge and appreciate your life and the people in it. Be grateful for your parents and remember the role they played in making you who you are today.

These my takeaways from my 20s while stepping into 30s. What were yours?