Below are 20 lessons I learned growing up--essential things that I have used to help me live a better and happier life. I am ready to shed my teen years, but I could not be more grateful to have learned from them.
1. Grades aren't THAT important.
Education is just one part of your world. Grades do not define you; they will not follow you forever. Grades will seem important in the moment, but at the end of the day, they are not going to make or break you. You will get that dream job even if you got a C in chemistry. Don't stress yourself crazy just because of a letter on a report card.
2. Take in the moment.
Time flies by so fast. Focus on the moment you are in because if you don't, it will become a memory before you know it. Put the phone down, stop taking pictures, and just enjoy your company, enjoy the view, and quit looking toward the moment you're ahead and focus on the one you are in.
3. Travel the world.
The world has so much to offer. There are so many places worth exploring, sights worth seeing, and cultures worth experiencing. Travel the world and all it has to offer.
4. Actually live your life.
Stop making lists about all the things you want to do and actually DO them. Bucket lists are great, but not if you don't cross anything off of them. You are young and can do anything you want, so take this time to do that. Actually do the things you have only dreamed of. Live your god damn life.
5. Think about the future, but not too much.
It is important as a teenager to think about what will come next, but you cannot obsess over it. Obstacles are going to come into your way and the path may change. If you worry too much about what will happen, you will just make yourself sick.
6. Sometimes you have to put yourself first.
It is important to take care of yourself. Sometimes we all have to be a little selfish. You have to learn that you are important and that doing things for yourself are just as important.
7. Don't overthink everything.
Don't sweat the small stuff. Don't read into every little text message. Don't let yourself get caught up in the fears and doubt. Sometimes things just happen and it is important to just accept some things as they are.
8. You aren't always responsible for how others react.
If your intentions are good, then you can't always be responsible for how others are going to react. You can be conscious of another's emotions, but at the end of the day, they are going to react how they will.
9. Do not live your life by what is expected or typical.
This life is your life and you need to live it the way you want to. Don't let your friends' and family's or even society's expectations make decisions for you. Do what will make you happy.
10. You always have a choice.
No matter the circumstance, you will always have a choice. Sometimes the choices you have to make will be difficult, but they will be yours to make. There is always an option.
11. Trust your gut when making any decisions.
For someone as indecisive as me, this was an important lesson and also a hard one to practice, but I have learned that you need to trust your gut. Trust yourself in making the decisions that you will be most comfortable with. Sometimes you need to tell your brain to shut up and do what feels right, not what logically makes sense.
12. Figure out your priorities in life.
It is important for you to figure out what matters to you. Try this: think about yourself 90 years from now in a rocking chair looking back on your life; what would you be most proud of? Would it be the success you gained at work, the money you made, the family you raised, the relationships you maintained with friends? Find what in life fulfills you and focus on that. Focus on the things that are going to bring you to 90 and regretting nothing.
13. Relax. Have fun. Make memories.
Work is stressful. School is stressful. Friends and family can be stressful. Life is stressful. Sometimes we all need to take a moment and let some steam off. Take a break, relax, and do something fun. Don't get so bogged down with life that you forget to relax.
14. Don't let fear stop you.
Never let the fear of doing something stop you from doing it. Taking that leap of faith can be the scariest thing ever, but do it because I promise you won't regret it. Do the things in life that you are scared of. Take risks and do all the things you are hesitant of because life is all about overcoming fear, and this is just the beginning.
15. Know when it's good to say yes and good to say no.
It is important to learn that you can't always say yes. We need to learn that saying yes is not always the beneficial option. Just put aside the guilt and fear of disappointment and say no.
16. How to be comfortable alone.
A key part of growing up is becoming independent. With that independence comes learning how to be comfortable by yourself. It is learning how to go to the doctor alone, spending the night in by yourself, and grabbing a coffee by yourself.
17. Not everyone in your life is meant to stay forever.
Not every friend you make is going to stick around forever. Some people are meant to only be in your life for a short period of time. People change and relationships end, but that is okay.
18. Don't put so much expectation on every relationship.
We are young and we do not need to put so much pressure on the idea of finding the one. Enjoy being single. Not every guy or girl you meet has to automatically be the one you will be standing next to on the altar. The time will come when you meet the right person, but for now, don't force something to happen if it just isn't.
19. It's YOUR world.
One of the most important lessons I learned was my junior year of high school. A wise man told me, "It's your world," a quote that stuck with me and made realize how much control I have over my life. There is nothing in the world you can't accomplish. Don't let anyone convince you that a dream isn't feasible. There are no such things as 'can'ts' because you can have it all--it's your world.
20. Your life is just beginning.
Your life has only just begun at 20. New adventures await you. Take the lessons you learned as a kid and teenager and use them to become a better adult. Becoming an adult is a part of life and is the next stage. Your life does not stop at 20; rather, it is only just beginning.
