10 Things I’ve Learned In My Twenties

As we journey through each year I believe we are able to self-reflect and better ourselves. I have no doubt in my mind that there will be many more lessons to learn but today I want to share with you ten things which I’ve learned so far in my twenties.

You have to be sure of yourself

You’ve got to be sure of yourself and own who you are. Own your thoughts, your ideas, your passions, your quirks, your words and your decisions. Even when you are unsure, be sure of that doubt. Don’t let anyone dull your sparkle and don’t tell you how to think or feel. You are your own person following your own path

It’s okay to not be okay

The thing about life is, sometimes is absolutely amazing and then all of a sudden, it’s awful. And then it’s amazing again. And in between the amazing and the awful, it’s ordinary and mundane and routine and boring. But the thing is, that’s just life and it’s okay to not be okay sometimes. Don’t try to resist your feelings, let them come and let them go. Just know that you’re not alone. You’re not the only one feeling lost, bored, unmotivated, uninspired, lonely or confused. However you feel, trust that it’s perfectly human to feel all of these feelings. It may not be much fun but that’s just the living, heartbreaking, amazing, awful, ordinary life that we live. It’s a confusing place to be but smile knowing that you are along for the ride.

Rejection is redirection

Rejections are usually a hard pill to swallow. Whether it’s rejection from an opportunity, a job, a house or someone you liked, I can say that I’m lucky enough to have experienced rejection in my life. Yes lucky, because when life hits you with a big fat “no” just remember that there is a much greater “yes” behind it. Try to see every rejection in your life as a redirection for something better. For example, the house which my boyfriend and I bought was the result of many rejections, yet out of all twenty-six houses we viewed I would choose this one every time!

Trust yourself

Your intuition or gut is your collection of learned experiences throughout your life which aren’t immediately available to your conscious mind.  Your intuition is your best power, trust it and you are trusting yourself. All of the answers which you are looking for are within you and your intuition will always steer you in the right direction.

You’re in control

You’re in control of your life, you are the reason why you’re happy and you’re the reason why you’re sad. You have control over what you do and what you say. If you’re not happy with something in your life then you have the ability to change it, whether that be your job, your friends, your diet, your routine or your habits. There may be things in life which are difficult but in the end, you’re in control of your life and your happiness.

The beauty of early mornings

The key to super productive days is to start them right. Your morning habits set you up for the entire day and if you start your morning in a rush then you will have a difficult time redeeming your day. It’s important to have a mindful routine in place in order to have a happy mind and body from the beginning of your day.  By creating a morning routine and choosing activities which energise and inspire you, you will find countless benefits in waking up early. There is so much to be accomplished before the working day begins and the rest of the world wakes up.

It’s okay to be selfish

Do what you want, when you want in a way that you want to do it and if that makes you selfish then so be it. You should be allowed to put your own needs in front of the demands of other people. Don’t feel bad or guilty, just remember that the person you need to look after is yourself and you can’t look after anyone else if you’re running on empty.

Not everyone is talking about you

You’re not on everyone’s mind so stop being paranoid. We all think that we’re super important and that everyone is talking about us and thinking about us but in reality that’s not true at all. Other people are way too occupied thinking about themselves and worrying about their own life to even let you cross their minds. Sometimes they are even worried about what you’re thinking of them, meaning you’re both being paranoid about what each other thinks of each other.

Don’t worry about other people’s opinions

As humans we worry about being judged, we seek approval from others and we like to please people. Basically, we want to fit in and not be the odd one out. Yet the reality is when you worry about what others think of you, you hold yourself back from being yourself and doing what you love. Life becomes a lot easier once you learn to stop caring about what other people think of you. Because nothing should have the power to hold you back in life. Nobody should take away your confidence and stop you from living out your dreams.

Accept constructive criticism

As painful as it can sometimes be to hear constructive criticism, it’s the type of feedback which we need the most in order to grow and develop. It may not be an agreeable conversation but it’s a necessary one. At the moment we don’t always remember the benefits of constructive criticism, as we can be too busy obsessing over it. Yet if we graciously listen and acknowledge what’s being said, we are giving ourselves the opportunity to improve our skills and relationships.

Everything happens for a reason, live it, love it and learn from it.