Your 20s can be really rough. Getting through them is a lot harder than getting through your teens. And you remember how rough that was. Adjusting from a life of predictability, when your parents made most big decisions for you, to a life where you are in full control is a lot to handle. And chances are, you are going to make a lot of mistakes. Here are some tips for surviving this decade and coming out alive (with some good stories).
1. Take Chances
There are few times in your life when you are going to have as little responsibilities as when you are in your 20s. This is the time to go out and try new things; move to the other side of the country, quit a job if it’s making you miserable. This is the time to try anything! Never let fear stop you from trying.
2. Don’t Tie Yourself Down
This applies to jobs, cities, hobbies and relationships (romantic and non-romantic). If you are not sure where you want your life to go just yet, that is OK. You are not alone in that. The worst thing you can do is get yourself stuck in a situation that doesn’t make you happy and that you feel required to follow. You do you! Don't worry about anyone or anything else.
3. Make Mistakes
It is okay to do things wrong and fail sometimes. This is going to happen anyway, no matter how much you try to avoid it. Remember that a lot of growth and innovation comes from failure.
4. Be Open
Life is going to throw you a lot of curve balls, so you might as well embrace them. It might take a while to realize that life has taken you on a much better path than you imagined for yourself. Just be open to it. Life hasn’t let me down yet (even if it took a while to see the light).
5. Don’t Set A Timeline
Throw all of the “I want to be married by the time I’m [insert age here],” and “I want to get a PhD by before my [whatever number] birthday” out the window! The chances of those timelines happening are rare. You will save yourself a lot of disappointment and grief if you get rid of these. Goals and dreams are wonderful to have; definitely keep them and work towards them! Just make sure you let life happen along the way of achieving them. Your sanity will thank you.
6. Stop Comparing Yourself To Other People
Full confession: this is something I struggle with. However, if you don’t try to do this, you are setting yourself up for endless misery. There are 1,000 reasons why someone makes more money than you, gets hired / promoted instead of you, gets accepted into a graduate program when you didn’t or chooses to date someone else instead of you. You will rarely find out one of those 1,000 reasons, so it’s best to let it go and focus on your next step. Plus, finding out the reason doesn’t change the outcome.
7. Take Time To Figure Out Who You Are
Chances are, you are not the same person you were a year ago. Your life is changing rapidly, so it’s easy to lose track of yourself. Think about what hobbies and sports you like, your real interests, your political beliefs, what you’re willing to put up with, how strong you are, and then pursue these topics. Knowing yourself is going to make getting through whatever life throws at you much more manageable.
8. Be Okay With Yourself
Once you figure out who you are, be okay with it. Accept it and embrace it. Flaunt your fabulous self! Being able to do this is the most liberating feeling.
9. Just Do It
…don’t tell Nike that I stole their slogan, but it’s so true! This is the best thing you can ever tell yourself. If there is something you’re hesitating to do, just do it! You will be amazed at what you can accomplish and experience when you stop holding yourself back.
