For as long as I can remember, I have always loved books. I’m sometimes drawn back to a particular memory when I was just a little girl and learning how to read. It’s kind of crazy to think that at one point I became so frustrated and discouraged with myself that I actually remember telling both of my parents I was never going to be able to learn how to read.

With a little time, help and determination, I eventually grasped how to interpret the words of the books I had been using to practice with. Ever since I had caught on, I really haven’t been able to put books down.

Fast-forward to my 20s, and my love for reading has blossomed more than I ever thought possible. The combination of having a debit card, as well as an Amazon account I have found to be a blessing and a curse for both my reading and my bank statements.

Though my bookshelf is filled with dozens of books that I have read throughout my life so far, there is one out of the many that has made the biggest impact on the way I choose to live my life. Last year, there was a point when I was pretty content, or so I had I thought. I was reading reviews online during my latest book-buying binge when I came across "101 Secrets for Your Twenties" by Paul Angone.

Call me a frugal nerd, but I like to make sure a book has pretty solid reviews before I hit that purchase button online. After reading a little bit about readers’ opinions, and what the book was about, I was pretty confident I made a great purchase and was excited for this to be my next read.

I mainly bought this book because I had recently graduated college and wanted some tips on how to master this whole post-grad life thing. I mean, who doesn’t want more advice on unburying yourself from student loan debt, and finding the correct career path?

Immediately upon reading the first couple pages, I knew that this book was pure magic. Have you ever read a book and felt like someone was narrating your life story? This was that book for me.

Let’s start off by talking about the career department. Like I said, I had my degree, recently graduating college, and a solid job where I was saving money and enhancing my professional skills. I got to a part in the book where Paul simply states, “The most dangerous job that you can have in your 20s is a comfortable one.” It just so happens that I had been on a work break when I read this part of the book, and for some reason, this hit me pretty hard. I started thinking about every aspect of my career path: my job, my degree, and my plan for the future. After processing the section of this book, I began to slowly realize that I was comfortable with the job that I had, and though I was grateful for it, I knew that I needed to make a change. Within months, I switched jobs, and I can admit that I am so much happier and more passionate about what I do now.

There’s an additional part of this book that really stuck with me. Another secret Angone shares is, “ Love is Blind. Enlist some seeing-eye dogs.” In this section, he encourages readers to solicit trust in those around them, whether it may be parents, friends, or siblings when it comes to love. Sometimes, we are incapable of seeing some serious red flags, and I will be the first to admit that I am guilty of this. I am so thankful that my friends and family know me better than I know myself sometimes, and are willing to give an opinion, even when I don’t ask for it. Realizing this has changed my life for the better, and has prevented me from settling for less than I deserve. I think this goes for romantic relationships, as well as friendships.

There’s a section in the book where Angone shares, “You grow INTO growing UP.” This may sound pretty simple, but it is so completely true. I’m not sure if it was just me, but I felt like after my college graduation, like someone packed my bags and dropped me off at a bus station, and I wasn’t quite sure where I was headed. Suddenly, I had all of these big grown up things to do, and I felt pressure to have life mastered. But he is right, growing up is something that we adjust into, not something that happens magically overnight. This thought constantly reassures me when I feel insecure about where I’m supposed to be in my life.

Though I only shared a few tips that Angone writes about in this book, I really believe that the rest are all completely applicable to someone in their 20s, or approaching this age group. I’ve never read a more soothing book than this one, which made me feel more confident about where I am in life and the direction that I am heading. Without reading this book, I’m not exactly sure where I’d be, but I do know that could be settling for less in various departments of my life. I would truly recommend this book to anyone that may need encouragement and motivation to master this whole 20s thing, and I’d really like to thank Paul Angone for sharing his secrets with the world.