10 Things 20 Somethings Need To Know In Their Lives

Image by Eliott Reyna (Unsplashed)

As we get older, we start to realise things in our lives that are important that we take for granted when we were young. Everyone has regrets from things that they do when they were young that they only found out when they’ve grown up and matured. Though some things can’t be changed, there are indeed things in our lives that matter a lot that are not too late to realise.

1. Appreciate your family more.

When we were young the thing we take for granted the most would be our family. We get angry at our parents for not buying the things that we want, or we get mad at our siblings for not letting us win a game. But as we get older, we’ll realise how precious our family is, and we might even start to feel guilty over it. However, it is never too late to realise how important spending time with our family is. As we are not getting any younger, we should make use of the time to do things that are worthwhile with people who matter to us.

2. Enjoy your life.

Stop spending your precious time trying to impress others, or planning revenge on people who’d failed you. Instead, focus the time on yourself and making the best out of your life. Do things that matter to you with positivity. Don’t do things out of hatred, as it would only keep draining the energy out of you. As cliché as it sounds, you only live once, so make full use of your time when you are happily alive. There are people out there who suffer more than you, so don’t get too caught up in all the small negativities in life.

3. Be yourself.

No matter what age you are, how you look like, what you wear, there are always going to be people who don't like you and will judge you for who you are, whether in your face or behind your back. So instead of living up to people’s standards on you, be yourself. There is nothing wrong with trying to wear what you want or say what’s on your mind. If others do not like it, then it is their problem, not yours. Don’t let society control you. Be yourself and live by your own principal. In the end, the only person who would regret it is them, not you.

4. Don’t splurge for the wrong reason.

We’ve all been in the situation where we splurge for the wrong reason, whether it be to destress, or splurging on materialistic things to impress others. But for whatever reason that is, money should never be used on things that would not benefit you in the long term. If you get a new pair of expensive shoes, sure, it makes you happy for a short time, but think of it in the long term. Will the pair of shoes still make you happy in 5 years’ time? Instead, spend your money wisely on things that would really affect you positively in a few years’ time. Don’t just splurge because of a short period of joy.

5. Never give up.

We've probably given up on things that we wanted to pursue but then stop it halfway. It can be because our parents do not approve of it, or you’re afraid of what people might think of you, or the thing you’re pursuing just takes up too much time and effort. But when you get older, you’re going to regret not exploring these opportunities. It can be something small, like learning a musical instrument, but it has a huge effect on your mental health. It is never too late to pick up something that you left behind long ago. Even if it would take you a long time to master something, you might gain something precious along the process.

6. Always keep an open mind.

Humans are easily affected by negativity as supposed to the opposite. We get mad at people who’ve embarrassed us easily, we get annoyed when things don't go our way, and a lot of things that we used negativities to deal with. Having such a habit is actually very detrimental to our mental health, as it is similar to beating ourselves down internally. As difficult as it can be, train yourself to have a positive mindset. Start your morning with a cheerful spirit, compliment other people, or even journal, do whatever it takes to make you have a more open mind.

7. Pay attention to your health.

As our lives are getting busier every day with all our responsibilities, it might be difficult to keep our health a priority. But, no matter how busy you are, there will be a time in your day where you are free enough to just squeeze in a workout. Take around 20 to 30 minutes a day to just hit the gym, or go for a run. Keep your body active and in a good shape. Something even more important is watching your diet carefully. Try to eat as healthy as possible on a daily basis. When you get much older, your body will definitely thank you for this.

8. Don’t be a follower.

A lot of people tend to be a follower because to them, being unique is bad, and you’ll get judged if you dress differently, or talk about different things. Sure, being a “follower” would make you “normal” or even “popular” but is it really what you want? You are only doing certain things because of others, not for you. You might even miss out on a lot of opportunities because you are copying other people who do better than you in being themselves. Instead, be unique, don’t copy what others are doing. Be original.

9. Be respectful to everyone.

Being disrespectful would really get you nowhere. Even if you look “cool” now, in the future you’re going to regret treating the people around you like crap. Make being respectful a habit. Respect other’s opinions, don’t pull others down. Be grateful to people, don’t see it as their responsibility. Say thank you more often, and smile more. Not everyone will respond to you the way you expect, but it’s not like you can control them. Be the best version of yourself.

10. Be grateful for what you have.

There are too many things in the world that we take advantage of. It ranges from materialistic things that we get because everyone does, to things that we need to survive, such as water, food, air, and so on. Whatever it is, we need to be grateful for the things that are available to us, because somewhere in the world, there are always people wishing they have what we have. Try to focus on the things you have rather than those you don’t. Don’t let materialistic things control you, be in control of your life.

Being 20-something can be an awkward age, as we transition from teenagers to adults, and there are many things we need to learn in order to survive in life. It is also the time of our lives where we realise we cannot rely on our parents forever and we have to be independent. Sure, there might be many more important things that we need to focus in life, but those listed down above are essentials in being the best person you can be. It might not matter now, but in the future, you’ll realise how important these things are.

To end this article, here is a quote about living a meaningful life:

“A meaningful life is not being rich, being popular, being highly educated or being perfect. It is about being real, being humble, being able to share ourselves and touch the lives of others. It is only then that we could have a full, happy, and contented life.”