#1 SLOW DOWN
One of the many lessons for 20-somethings to know is that you don’t need to rush. Relax. You have time. It’s what everyone always tells us. But when you’re in your 20s, it’s difficult to take a step back. There’s constant change. Constant transformation. Constant learning and growing.
How do you take a breath and understand that it is okay to not have it all figured out right now? How do you accept that you probably won’t have it all figured out for a while?
Stop approaching every day with this feeling of running out of time. You don’t need to have everything figured out. You have time.
There’s so much pressure in your 20s to know what you want to do for a career and where you want to settle down. Pressure to be in a relationship and fully understand your values, your goals, and your future plans.
Take a step back and relax. Society says you have to have it all figured out. Know that you don’t. You don’t need to know the answer to everything. Your 20s is a time to explore your interests, explore who you are, and try new things. Don’t rush. Instead, enjoy this period of self discovery.
#2 LET YOURSELF MAKE MISTAKES
Another one of the many lessons for 20-somethings to live by, is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Go easy on yourself when you mess up or when something doesn’t go as planned. Mistakes help us learn and grow.
If you don’t make mistakes, you won’t ever have opportunities to self-reflect and learn from your failures. The learning experiences in your 20s are invaluable. You’re young. Now is the time to make mistakes.
You have plenty of time to overcome setbacks. Stop dwelling on your mistakes and ask yourself, what can I learn from this situation? How can I grow from this experience?
Mistakes are inevitable. You’re young. You don’t need to be perfect. It’s okay. Mistakes are learning experiences. Stop being so hard on yourself. Encourage yourself to shift your perspectives when you mess up and make an effort to always seek opportunities to learn when faced with obstacles.
#3 TAKE RISKS
Risk is scary. Most of us are not naturally inclined to take risks. But you should take some risks. It’s one of the crucial lessons for 20-somethings to live by.
Taking risks doesn’t mean putting yourself in harms way. It can simply mean trying new things and stepping out of your comfort zone. Growth does not happen when you stay in your comfort zone. Growth happens when you try new things.
When you put yourself in uncomfortable situations you create opportunity for new experiences and learning to occur. Learn new skills, hang out with new people, and try new activities. Take time to explore your interests and take that job you really want. Move away from your hometown and spend time traveling the world.
Stepping out of your comfort zone gives you the ability to learn new skills and develop your self-identity. Challenge yourself to do this often. You may fail, but regret is worse than not knowing, so you might as well try the damn thing. Try it. Fail. Succeed. Learn from it. Taking risks will help you become the best version of yourself.
#4 STAY OPEN-MINDED
Remaining open-minded is one of the biggest challenges, but it’s crucial for self-growth. It’s one of the major lessons for 20-somethings to learn and live by. Challenge your beliefs and perspectives. Challenge your values, your biases, and your ideas.
When you learn to challenge your ways of thinking, you make room for growth and learning. It’s an easy way to expand your knowledge and open yourself up to new ideas.
Think about your views of the world and where those perspectives come from. Try to see situations and circumstances from someone else’s perspective. Open your mind and try to understand the world from other viewpoints.
Doing this can help you become more empathetic and understanding of others. It also promotes self-reflection and growth. Opening your mind is critical to expanding your knowledge and understanding those around you.
#5 LET THINGS GO
Seriously. Stop fearing change. Easier said than done, we know. Your 20s are a time of constant change. It’s a period of self discovery. To figure out who you are, where you want to end up, and what your passions are, you’ll need to let some things go.
It’s inevitable you’ll outgrow some things throughout your 20s. Be it romantic relationships, friendships, your hometown, a job, and even your own beliefs and perspectives. Growth happens when you allow yourself to let go of the past. Start letting go of relationships and things that aren’t serving you.
Let go of old ideas and viewpoints to better understand the world and people around you. When you let things go that no longer serve you, you open yourself up to new possibilities.
Change is always scary. But change is sometimes necessary to discover who you truly are and develop your self-identity. It’s okay to outgrow friendships, places, and people that no longer align with who you are or your future.
Let go of the past and embrace this new era of change, self-growth, and self-discovery. It’ll shape you into the best version of yourself.
#6 FOCUS ON YOURSELF
Focusing on yourself is the last of the lessons for 20-somethings to live by. Your 20s are one of the only times in your life you can solely focus on yourself. You have freedom. No one is tying you down. You can do what you want and do what makes you happy.
You have time on your side, and freedom to do as you choose. If you’re single, enjoy it. If you’re in between jobs or in school, work hard but have fun too. Focus on your interests, your goals, your passions, and doing what makes you happy.
You’re young. You can afford to take risks. You can afford to make mistakes. Let things go, get out of your comfort zone, and surround yourself with things that bring you energy and joy.
Discover your passions and try out new jobs and careers until you fall in love with one. Meet new people and let go of relationships you outgrow. Take your 20s to focus on you. Don’t feel guilty about it because it’s one of the only times in your life that you’re free to do whatever you choose without things tying you down.