When I turned 20, I considered myself "old" and thought my life was over. I was pursuing a degree in Business Management that I wasn’t even remotely interested in, was no longer a teenager and stupidly thought it was too late to make changes to the monotonous routine. Like starting over and pursuing a career path that I actually enjoyed, amongst other things.
Fast forward to now - still in my twenties, still apprehensive and still questioning certain life choices. However, by following some steps, I have miraculously managed to make the most of whatever circumstances I am faced with and try to see the silver lining in difficult situations. It’s my way of making the most of this time because according to a whole lot of people - our twenties are apparently the best. Not sure how true that is, but I do know that following these little ways are guaranteed to make this decade a lot better.
Quit doing what you think is expected of you and start doing what you want. Live life in a way that makes your soul happy, and do not listen to whatever crap society tries to feed you.
Stop living a life that looks good to the outside world and start living a life that feels good from within. The truth is, only a handful of people care about what you’re doing, which may sound harsh but is 100% true. Stop trying so hard to make your life look impressive and start living a life that makes you happy.
Surround yourself with people who inspire you. Open your mind to new cultures, new ideas, new backgrounds and learn about them. Be surrounded by people who bring out the best in you, not the stress in you.
Learn how to accept constructive criticism. Most people don’t care if you fail and if you find someone who’s willing to help you do better the next time around, thank them.
Cut toxic people out of your life, unapologetically. Individuals who mess with your peace of mind and make you feel bad about yourself do not deserve any place in your world. Let them go, and don’t look back. Remember, real friends accept you for who you are and don’t put up the facade of liking you.
Stop justifying your choices. You shouldn’t have to explain yourself to other people anymore. If you don’t want to do something, don’t. If you want to quit, quit. It doesn’t matter whether you quit a well-paid job, if it didn’t make you happy. It doesn’t matter whether you marry at 20 or 29 (or much later). It doesn’t matter if you decide to leave an unhappy relationship. Don’t allow anyone else to make you feel bad about your decisions.
Digitally detox every once in a while. Social media can be great, but it’s also insanely draining. It’s also extremely well-curated and isn’t a truthful depiction of real life. Remember, people only post about wonderful things - nobody wants to publicise their problems to the digital world. Delete the apps for a week and clear your head.
PLEASE READ. Books, magazines, newspapers, read them all. I can’t stress on this enough but reading changes the way you think, teaches you things you didn’t know, expands your mind to new worlds and makes you a well-rounded person. It will help you live thousands of lives compared to the person who doesn’t read. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to check out my book: The Poor Londoner (cheeky self-promotion! #sorrynotsorry)
Own your mistakes. Making mistakes is part of life, it’s what makes us human. No one is perfect and owning your mistakes will get you a hell of a lot further than trying to cover up the truth.
Stop comparing yourself to others - something that all of us do at various points in life, including myself. The only time comparison with others is good is when you’re using it as fuel to improve yourself. Focus on YOURSELF and become a better version of the person you were an hour ago.
And finally; invest in self-care. I didn’t realise how important it is to take care of myself and put myself on a pedestal until the rat-race of life completely drained me. Do whatever it takes to rejuvenate and always remember; nothing and nobody is worth ruining your sleep over.
Find happiness in little things and it’ll make you a much calmer, more collected person. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to smile!