Advice for young women! Always available! Even when they don’t want it. Mom, grandma, that weird guy at work and, of course, beauty magazines; all of them loaded with advice for young women.

Too bad so much of it is predicated on young women hating themselves.

“How to lose weight quickly”; “How to make him fall in love with you”; “How to be appreciated at work”; Yes, yes, yes. How to make others like you more. OK, later for all of that. What’s really necessary in this life is that you learn to like you.

It took me 20 years to learn all of these things below. I wish I’d known the value of it all so much sooner. so, I’m sharing it with you. These are the 25 most important things I wish I’d known when I was 25.

1. Make a list of all the good habits you want to acquire. Change bad habits into good ones one at a time. Never attempt to “reinvent” yourself overnight. You could feel overwhelmed and give up all attempts to change. Then you’ll just feel badly about yourself. Pick what you want to change first and start today. Allow it take the weeks it will take to become a habit.
2. Write a list of everything you want in life. Exempt nothing for cost, triviality, modesty or “reality principle”. Work backwards from the goals to figure out what you need to get them. Pick the basic steps first and start doing them. Revisit this list at least once a year and revise as necessary.
3. In the corporate world, all that glitters is gold. Be competent, learn all you can, but sell yourself all the time.
4. Take some down time every once in a while to conceptualize a new path for yourself. Once you see it, start blazing it. Again, in baby steps. Find the gap that exists out there and fill it.
5. Seek out more responsibility at work all the time. If you don’t ever get it, find a new job at a higher level and ask there.
6. Save money in accordance with your current ability. If it’s only 10 dollars a week now, still do it. It just has a habit of growing.
7. Start a 401K or IRA as soon as possible. Do that with the saved money first at the end of each year. Then save more. Try 10 more dollars a week.
   
8. No date is a do or die situation. You don’t have to have an answer or a plan right then and there.
9. If dating, you’re trying to find someone who compliments you in intellect, personality and, most importantly, values. Trying to find all of that in one person who also knocks your socks off sexually speaking is hard. It's supposed to be very hard. If that’s not hard to find, you’re doing something wrong. You might as well make it fun journey.
10. In love? Be passionate. Have fun. If you can’t have fun with your partner now, you won’t 20 years from now.
11. Never date anyone you’re not entirely crazy about. It sucks to get hurt. It sucks worse to have to hurt someone else when you knew better.
12. Love is not something you need to “earn” or “win” to be worthy of respect. Love is something you radiate outward. Let it shine and you’ll find your passions in the light you cast.
13. Whenever your heart has been broken, always remember that you will feel better again.
14. Become a morning person. The world’s a lot more exhilarating when it’s all lit up. Bonus: You’ll stay mysterious when you’re the one who leaves the bar at 10 p.m. all the time.
15. Travel somewhere by yourself at least once a year, even when you’re in a relationship. Just get out and meet and greet.
16. Find your look and own it. Ditto with your apartment décor. Remember to have fun with this as you try out different styles.
17. Jewelry is fun. Own a lot of it. Not expensive stuff, just what’s “you”.
18. Learn how to cook. It saves a bundle and you’ll wind up being much better than the diner down the block. Buy pots, pans and utensils at discount and start following recipes.
19. Get good at something or, even better, more than one thing. It will boost your self-esteem.
20. Pick up a few hobbies that grab you. Needlepoint, jewelry making, guitar, language lessons - anything. Just find them and go with it. You’ll get good at them. Make sure that one of them is small enough to be portable. Get bold and try woodworking. I double dog dare ya.
21. Moisturize daily. Use sunscreen like your life depends on it. You’ll thank me in 15 years.
22. Exercise. I’m serious. It kicks butt. It boosts your energy. You’ll love what it does for your self-esteem. When you’re older, you’ll love what it does for your blood pressure and metabolism.
23. If you don’t understand it, learn it. Google is your friend.
24. Keep a journal. Once a day, once a week, once a month, once every two months. Whatever inspires. You’ll love how you’ll see yourself change over the years.
25. Trust your own judgment. If anyone is making you feel bad, tell them they are. If you’re in an environment that keeps hurting you, leave it. The emotional energy you'll spend on healing from yet another petty blow is distracting you from your life. It will steal your dreams. Don’t let that happen.