Turning 20 is very special. You made it through the teen years, you have survived high school, & you are onto a new chapter in life!
Family Matters Most
I would say that family matters most. They are the ones who know me like nobody else does, see me on my good days & bad days & love me through it. Family is always there for you when friends come & go. Siblings help you learn how to share & play with when you are young, but more importantly bond with you & relate with you as you get older. Also, call your grandparents! They love hearing from you. Spend time with family as much as you can, create traditions & memories, & have great family time together. You will miss your family a lot when you go off to college.
Be Yourself
This one sounds realllllly dumb & something everyone's heard before. I've heard it a million times it seems, but it's all true, just be yourself. In a world of many people pretending to be who they're not, do you, be you, & stay true to yourself. Listen to the music you want, have your own values & opinions, do activities, sports, etc. that you like because it makes up you & who you are. It's awesome to try new things, but do what you enjoy & be who you are!
Music Helps
Music is for all the moods. There's so much great music out there that can help you boost your mood or feel the feels. Music helps me get rid of stress or negative emotions, but also helps me relate & relax. I love car rides when I'm alone blasting the music I listen to - something about that is so relaxing & enjoyable! I love how music can be upbeat & danceable or slow & relaxing.
Social Media Isn't Reality
It seems like every teenager, young adult, & adult has some form of social media these days. I know that I have a good amount of social media platforms. The thing about social media is that it's not reality. A lot of people out there want to brag, get more likes & followers, get validation, feel good, etc. People are utterly addicted, I know I am. I am just saying that it is not reality, it's peoples' highlight reel. People post only what they want to post, not behind the scenes. Also, how well do you know the people who follow you or like your pics / posts? These days everything is so superficial, so people only look at pictures of how good you look, how many followers & likes you have, etc, so it isn't the best judgement of a person's true character or heart.
Be In The Moment
This goes with #4, but it's important to be in the moment. Too many people are glued to their phones when they're in front of family, friends, & people that matter a lot to us. We forget the people right in front of us & want to spend time on our phones instead. As well, some people take pictures to post on social media to prove they went or did somewhere or something amazing, but they forgot to live in the moment & be present. People don't have to post every single thing they do just to validate that they have an amazing life. One of my goals is to put my phone down more & simply live in the moment with people right in front of me. I want to talk to them instead of text, I want to be face-to-face instead of snapping them, I want to actually laugh with them instead of using an laughing emoji, that type of thing.
A Few Things On Boys ...
They say girls are complicated? No way! Guys are so so so confusing. In my opinion, guys play with girls' emotions a lot. Same goes for girls, too, but I feel like guys do it more. Guys could want you for your body, for your popularity, for the person you are, it's hard to tell. They can be downright jerks or the best thing in the world. The thing about guys though is the right guy for you will want you for you & value your character & heart over superficial things. They will put in the effort, initiate conversation, enjoy getting to know you, show affection, be there for you, & overall be the type of guy for you.
Get A Job
Get a job & start saving money! Whether it is for school, investments, your future, or a vacation, it's always nice to have money put away & in the bank. Find a job you like, too, that will make it so much easier. Don't over-work yourself, but have a targeted amount set to make for each month or the summer. Save a good amount, but also spend some money on something you've been saving up for!
Work Hard, Play Hard
Yes! Work hard in everything you do - school, job, relationships, etc., then play hard when you graduate, save money, form great relationships, etc. Nothing in life comes easy, so putting in the time to get the grades you want, get into the program you want, graduate, get a promotion, find your dream job, or meet people you want to be around. It's important to enjoy life - not everything is about working. Spend time with family & friends, participate in hobbies you enjoy, learn a new skill, or go outside!
Be Patient
I am horrible at patience. Ask my family, ask my closest friends. I need to work on it. Patience is a virtue as it was said, & God's timing is everything. My time table doesn't match what God has in mind. It drives me insane most of the time, but I am trying to have patience that God will bring my heart's desires in His timing.
Travel As Much As You Can
Travel as much as you can! Explore the world. Experience different cultures. Try new foods. Learn different languages. Get out of your comfort zone. Traveling is such an amazing experience, & I love seeing God's creation in different cultures. People all over the world have different stories to tell, & it's so cool getting to know people from around the world. I have been so blessed to travel & want to travel more in the years to come!
Get A Pet
Pets are God's Angels. My pets have been my best companions throughout the years & my fur babies. They are the best thing ever. Pets don't judge you, listen to all the time, down to cuddle, help you get outdoors more, show loyalty, happy to see you all the time! So much love to my lil puppy Cooper!
Food Is Good
Don't let anyone tell you that food isn't good for your body or you would benefit without eating. Food is so good on the taste of it, but more importantly, it is so good & essential for your body. Don't let models or anyone make you feel bad about your body or that you need to lose weight or stay a certain size. That's lies. You can still be super healthy & stay fit but have ice cream that same day. I say all this because I struggle with body image all the time.
Be Educated About The World
Be educated on the world! The world is full of good & bad, but be familiar with a whole bunch of topics: world events, politics, people, major events, etc. Have your opinions, but be open to hearing other people's opinions & respecting them.
Know Your Identity
Who are you? Who is __your name___? Whether you truly believe this or not, but God says you are Chosen, Loved, Made in His Image, Enough, Worthy, Beautiful, Valuable, Treasured, Appreciated, Adored, New Creation, God's Child, Forgiven, & so many other amazing words to describe you. It's so easy to get caught up in who the world tells us who we have to be. What God says about me is so freeing & I think that everyone should experience that.
Love, Respect, Appreciate One Another
It's easier said than done, but love one another. God is the truest example of love, so it's important that we love others just like Jesus loves us even though we're not perfect. The world would be such a better place. As well, respect goes a long way & everyone likes to be appreciated.
Friends Come & Go
Friends come & go. There's been a lot that have come into my life, but also a few that have left. It is always so fun making new friends & continuing to develop old friendships, but it definitely hurts when you have something happen to a strong friendship from the past. Maybe someday you guys will reconnect. Be thankful for the friends that turn into family, the relationship that turns into something more, that stranger who became a friend. You will know who your true friends are during both the best & worst times of your life, they will stick around & be there for you. Always. Shoutout to my homies!
Stay Close To God
Stay close to God is something that is hard. It is hard when you lose faith, praying for something that hasn't happened, or just not sure of God or what He is doing. It's so easy to be close to God when you're in a really good place in life or God recently answered your prayers, & it's easy to fall away from God when life could be better or He hasn't answered your prayers. Be actively seeking God by reading the Bible, being with other Christians, praying, listening to music, whatever works for you & your relationship with God.
It's Totally Okay To Not Do What's Popular
It is totally okay not to drink, smoke, do drugs, hookup, or anything that is popular these days. If you're not into that, stay true to who you are & not what someone is telling you to do or to get someone to like you. All the above can potentially cause major health issues down the line, & I'm all about the healthy lifestyle & doing all that I can to help my body. (Plus I'm Nursing major, so I'm all for being healthy!) People may think you're lame, but there are people out there that will respect you for it. You can have fun & not do those things. Do something else like travel, get to know really someone, go to the beach, laugh with people.
Character > Looks
It is Character > Looks & it will always be that. You can be infatuated with someone with the hottest body, 6 pack abs, etc., just to find out that they have the worst character & only care about themselves. I know this from experience. People shouldn't like someone for their "hot body," but for their character - how they treat family & friends, how they show love to others, how they handle different life situations, the things that really matter. Looks change, but character remains.
Live, Laugh, & Love
This is my life motto! I stand by it everyday!
I hope you enjoyed reading about 20 Things I have learned throughout the years before I turn 20! As well, all these points I listed are absolutely applicable in your 20s & beyond!
*All these points were written in the perspective & opinions of Katie Ericson
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