At 20 years old, the world is full of opportunity. When we are at this age, we have the time and freedom to experiment and learn a lot. Many people focus on fun and their image when they are 20 years old. Some of them make mistakes that affect them for the rest of their lives. Others build a firm foundation for their future. When the right guidance is provided at this age, 20 year olds can avoid making life threatening mistakes and engage in positive activity. Here are 20 life lessons every 20 year old needs to know.
Learn How to Set Goals That Are Reasonable
You are free to dream as big as you want. However, break down these dreams into goals that are small and attainable. These small goals should build upon each other and deliver you to the big target that you have in mind. When you establish goals that are small and achievable, you avoid setting yourself for failure and maximize your chances of success. With patience, hard work and consistency, you will achieve what you desire.
Being Liked by Others Does Not Matter
Many 20 year olds spend too much time changing themselves into something that they hope the society will like. These efforts are strenuous and can cause low self esteem or stress. As a matter of fact, they are pointless. Be yourself and totally genuine. Some will like you and others will not. Use your time and energy to focus on exactly what you desire for your future. Also, don't waste time impressing people that you do not like.
Create a Social Life
No man is an island. We are created as social beings. Therefore, establish a social life. Find some positive, fun and supportive people and create a social circle. If these people share similar sentiments about life goals with you, the better. If you have any connections with people who are negative, condescending or act like frenemies, cut them off. Find some new people who you could enjoy spending time with. Life can be short so spend it with those who really matter.
Nobody Is Perfect
At the age of 20, we constantly spend precious time and energy trying to be perfect. The interesting thing is that we rarely if ever attain perfection. Do not strain yourself trying to be perfect. This can drive you mad and prevent you from living in the moment and experiencing the beauty of life. Instead of aiming to be perfect, you can strive to be happy. By doing this, you will attain excellence.
Do Not Be a Doormat
Doormats are those people who always say yes. If do not want to do something, simply say no. When you become a doormat, the people around you will use you and take advantage of your ability and talent. Do not bow to people who waste your time. In addition to that, do not get convinced to do things that you have no interest in. Just say no. Trust your gut with these things and you will be okay.
Dont Buy It if You Can Make It for Cheaper
We all enjoy kickstarting our day with a cup of coffee. Majority of people go to the coffee-shop to get their daily fix. Despite seeming like a fairly inexpensive beverage, the annual cost of buying coffee every morning can run into hundreds of dollars. It is much cheaper to make it yourself at home. Therefore, do this and save money. Live in a cost effective manner and save or invest the money.
Be Brave Enough to Ask for More Compensation During an Interview
At 20 years old, many of us are applying and going to interviews for our first jobs. One of the activities that is conducted is a presentation of how much money you will get paid. If you feel that the amount is too low, then you should by all means ask for more. They may indicate that they don't have the budget for that. This is misinformation and they actually do. Ask for what you think you deserve, work at it and you will get it.
Enjoy the serenity of living alone
There is security in numbers. Therefore, many 20 year olds who are leaving home to work for the first time seek roommates. Despite seeming like a lot of fun, there are disadvantages of having a roommate. In addition to annoying habits, having a roommate prevents you from discovering who you are with no influences from others. Live alone and discover your identity.
Dance as if No One's Watching
One of the most therapeutic activities that you can engage in is dancing. In your 20s, dance as much as you can. Dance alone, with others or in groups. Play your music loud and enjoy yourself. This gives you the opportunity to release stress and live in the moment. Enjoy your youth.
Think About Your Future as You Enjoy Your Life
When you are 20, many of your peers encourage you to live in the moment and follow what makes you blissful. As much as this is important, it is quite possible to lose focus of your future while enjoying your present. In between the activities of bliss, identify a career you love and save as much as you can. This takes care of your future as you celebrate your present.
Admit and Confess Your Mistakes
It is a widely held belief that admitting ones mistakes is a sign of weakness. Many people believe that when you apologize, you are being weak. This leads them to living with their mistakes. Even if their action hurts other people, they stubbornly refuse to admit their mistakes. As a matter of fact, when you confess, you are displaying strength and confidence. It takes guts to apologize. Therefore, it is a behavior that you should adopt.
Live According to Your Personal Values and Principles
Values guide our actions and moral compass throughout life. They help us to grow and maintain a responsible life. It takes time to find out the values that one should live by. Therefore, as soon as you find out your personal values, start living by them and do not deviate. Your personal values give you decision-making strength. Thus, they will never lead you astray.
Money Is Simply a Tool
Many people across the globe place too much emphasis on money. They spend countless hours trying to make more of it. They neglect their families and friends to get more money. What they don't understand is that money is simply a tool that you can use to make things happen. Being a very important tool, it needs to be measured and maintained carefully. 20 year olds are old enough to learn about money and this is the ultimate principle about it.
The Circumstances That We Go Through Are a Reflection of What Is Inside Us
Sometimes things happen to us and we wonder if we deserved it. We find ourselves in negative situations and suffer in silence. This can be avoided by eliminating all negativity inside us in the first place. Problems accost us to remind us of what needs to be fixed inside us. Therefore, you should perform an internal self analysis as often as you can so as to eliminate any negative energy and enjoy a positive, fruitful life.
Health Is the Ultimate Wealth
Often understated, health is far more important than any other characteristic we could have. Without it, we cannot work, play or interact with others normally. It is always highly important to take some time and improve our health. This can be accomplished by going to the gym or taking up a sport. A healthy body results in a healthy mind and positive results across the board.
Time Is a Valuable Resource
At 20 years old, you have a lot of time on your hands. This is because you have few commitments to deal with. In the debate about which is more important between money and time, the latter always wins. Since you have time and youth on your hands, take risks, travel a lot and invest in yourself. This is a wise use of time when you are at this age.
Keep Good Habits and Get Rid of the Bad Ones
To enjoy a happy life, it is necessary to perform a habitual overhaul. Find out which of your habits are bad. After you do, get rid of them. Adopt new, good habits such as eating healthy, exercise, being neat and reading. These ones build you instead of destroying you. They help you to construct a good foundation for your future.
Expand Your Scope
At 20, you have boundless energy. You can put it to great use by investing it in making the right connections in life. Find and spend time with people who are older than you. Learn from them and make them your mentors. Work hard to make a living and increase your wealth. Your motivation for making friends should not be self-gain. It should be to find partners to share life and challenges with. Make an effort to learn a new language. It will help you to make many new friends too.
Make Steps to Fulfill Your Dreams
When you are 20 years old, it is unlikely that you have faced many detractors to rob you of your dream. Therefore, believe in it and never stop. Live the life you desire, not the one that your parents or other people suggest. Keep an open mind and make a plan about how you can achieve your dreams. Setbacks are part of the process. So embrace them, learn from them and move forward.
Get Financial Knowledge
There are a number of activities involved in this type of knowledge.They include how to make money, improve your finances and how to invest it. Take time to learn how to make your money work for you. Increase your knowledge of personal finance and try your level best to stay out of debt. Save as much as you can now and live on much less than you earn.
The Important Take Away
When we are 20 years old, we are still impressionable. We learn quick and are even quicker to apply the lessons in our lives. It is always beneficial to build a positive foundation for life. The guidelines above can help any 20 year old to prepare themselves adequately for the life ahead.