On January 14th, I ended my teenage years and finally joined the 20s club! It’s a whole new decade full of growth, independence, and accomplishments. It feels so thrilling and heartwarming. While I’m very eager to join this new era of my life and see what more I’m going to achieve, I felt very emotional at the same time. I know I shouldn’t feel sad because I’m so grateful to have made it this far. I’ve gone through my childhood, graduated high school and now in my 2nd year of university, and these are all blessings within themselves. After doing lots of reminiscing and reflection on the past years, I thought I’d share twenty lessons I’ve learned and want to remind myself going into womanhood.
- Life is too short; time is so precious. You’re only young once, stop being sad about people who did you wrong, stop being hurt by the past, stop overthinking everything, stop caring about what others might think of you, these are years you can never get back.
- Know your worth, if you keep questioning whether something or someone is meant for you, then it’s not worth your time.
- Money spent on yourself and experiences are never a waste of money. Book that flight, take that vacation, go out with friends, spend money on fitness, get your hair, lashes or nails done. These are all investments into yourself. They make you feel and look good, this helps you become more well-rounded.
- Reading is good for you. I used to dread reading, but good books soothe your mind while teaching you something, at least try listening to a book.
- Don’t take things too seriously. Don’t stress yourself trying to make you or things around you perfect.
- Never be afraid to ask for help. You don’t have an answer to everything, seeking guidance from family, friends, teachers, elders in your life is a sign of strength.
- What God takes from your life, he replaces. Whether it’s losing items, people, that job, etc, he’ll always replace it with something better for you.
- Always show kindness to everyone. Smile at strangers, have small talk with service employees, show small acts of kindness. This is so cliché, but you never know what someone’s going through, this could make their day.
- Embrace failure. Don’t be afraid to take risks. From a young age my parents always raised me to be independent, I’d hold myself to high standards even if it seemed unrealistic, yet I’d always reach my goals one way or another. Obviously I’ve struggled and It hasn’t been easy, but every mistake teaches a lesson. There’s room for failure but no room for giving up and not trying. Instead of fearing failure, embrace it.
- Comparison is the thief of joy. You’re your only competition, everyone has their own unique journey.
- Stop being embarrassed.
- Spend quality time with your loved ones. Go visit your parents and grandparents, hangout with your siblings, walk your dogs, catch up with old friends. Not to sound morbid, but being young, you take time for granted sometimes and you never know when somebody won’t be here anymore.
- Life is a journey, live in the present. I feel like sometimes in life we’re waiting to be happy once “you get that job”, “get that car”, “accomplish this or that”, etc. But the truth is you’ll never be happy if you think this way. Find the beauty in your life right now, everything else will fall into place.
- Be open to change. Our lives are constantly changing, adaptability helps navigate new chapters and opportunities.
- Spend less time scrolling on social media. Even though social media is a big part of our daily lives today, it’s not real life. Spend time with people in your life now, be productive, do things you’re passionate about.
- The pain you feel will never live up to the joy that’s coming (Romans 8:18). I feel like sometimes when we’re struggling or going through a bad time, we forget that this pain is temporary. Keep going, your best days are in front of you.
- Document everything. I have my iPhone camera, 2 digital cameras and a Polaroid camera. I love taking pictures and videos and saving memories because a day, a moment, a minute, a second, once passed, it can’t be relived.
- Being vulnerable around the right people is a beautiful thing. Aside from my very bubbly, outgoing and loving personality, I’d be scared to share personal issues I face with my closest friends. Being vulnerable builds trust, stronger relationships, improved mental health, and a greater sense of authenticity.
- It’s okay to outgrow people, places or things. As you evolve, sometimes you just outgrow certain things, it’s part of life.
- Love yourself first always. This one sounds the most cliché but it’s so true, once you truly love and believe in yourself you start to achieve everything you want in life. Appreciate everything you do, and you will gain the confidence to take risks and accomplish every goal you dreamt of.
Each of these lessons has been a building block in my journey of life. As I said, I feel very emotional and a little scared to jump into this new chapter, but I just turned 20! I have lots of living to do. I know God holds so much more growth, experiences, knowledge and great things for me in adulthood. I’m excited to learn more about myself and become the woman I always dreamt of. Here’s to embracing progress, success, staying curious, and making the most of every moment.