20 LESSONS I LEARNED IN MY TWENTIES

It’s official… I am no longer in my 20’s. {Gasp} I am officially 30 and proud of it! After all, this automatically makes me older and wiser right?

Every decade of my life has taught me new lessons, and I can honestly say that every year has shaped my journey. Therefore, I promise to never be scared, or ashamed to share my age. So, today I thought it would be fitting to share 20 lessons that I’ve learned in my twenties.

1. To love is to give and to give is to live.
   I have learned that love is a gift and an action verb. You choose the ones you love and act on it. Love breaks barriers, it is an international language understood by all. Love + Giving = Sacrificial Living
2. Tomorrow will worry about itself.
   Don’t worry, certain situations are beyond your control. Life happens, people change… You can’t control it! Let it go, let it goooooo. Embrace the present and don’t worry about the future. {It causes unwanted wrinkles and headaches, anyway.}
3. Dating is weird.
   Not sure who thought of this dating concept to begin with… But in my early 20’s, I found dating  so strange. How are you supposed to know someone is the one – over a few dinners? If you ever felt weird going on first-dates, chances are feelings were mutual. Don’t jump from stranger to boyfriend/girlfriend without truly knowing a person. Make friends instead, if that fails, date a friend’s friend. ;)
4. Marriage is like a never-ending fun sleepover.
   Actually, the first year of marriage is pretty hard. But the good thing is that what you fight about while dating, is probably the same things you’ll fight about in marriage. Pick your battles, some things aren’t worth the fight.  Once that lesson is ingrained in you, enjoy each other’s company. Don’t ever stop dating and when you can, be adventurous. {Have fun and be silly!}
5. Eat clean. 80/20.
   Diets are for losers. {There I said it!} Eating healthy is a lifestyle change and a choice, but you can’t always eat healthy. So, eat healthy meals 80% of the time so you can indulge with moderation for the remaining 20%.
   
6. Don’t let your past affect your future.
   We all have issues, perhaps even baggage. Some issues were caused by others, while some you acquired all on your own… But your past shouldn’t have to affect your future – unless you let it. Learn from the past, forgive those who hurt you… Try not to repeat the same mistakes, and rely on grace for your future.
7. Life is better together.
   It isn’t fun to do life alone, in fact, we’re not meant to live life in isolation. Find a community of people you enjoy being with, stick with them, seek a mentor and invest in future generations.
8. Take chances.
   Life is about experiences, right? So take a chance. Make the ask, fail forward. Make that career change you’ve been thinking of, move if you have to… This is you chance, take it.
9. Travel with a purpose.
   Experience as much of the world as you can. {Miguel and celebrated my 30th year of life with a trip to Greece.} Try learning a new language {even if it is only a few phrases}, enlighten yourself with new cultures and new foods. Traveling allows you to have the opportunity to marvel at creation and see things you may not otherwise see.
10. Jump for joy!
    Happiness is caused by happenings {so it easily comes and goes}, but true joy withstands all circumstances. Don’t let bad situations steal your joy. Rejoice in both the good and bad.
11. Everybody worships something.
    What are you living for? That’s what you worship… Whether you know it or not, you already worship something or someone. Even if you claim to be an agnostic, or an atheist – you believe in something or lack thereof. That’s because we are all wired for worship. So find your faith… Test your god/gods. Pray for miracles and seek a savior that would give His life for you — frees you from sin, offers grace and life everlasting. Got Jesus? ;)
12. Less is more.
    Don’t let things own you… Whether it’s clothes, shoes, debt, friends. Less really is more.
13. Be the best YOU!
    There will always be someone skinnier, stronger, prettier, smarter, funnier, and better than you. Stop comparing yourself, you can’t change who you are. Learn to love yourself and be the best you that you can be!
14. Leverage the power of social media.
    Network with like minded individuals all around the world, share information and inspirations. There is so much power in social networking! Find your voice, a niche and use it! {Okay, so maybe MySpace was a bust, but it still taught us some HTML coding.} ;)
15. Find the time to disconnect.
    Online friends shouldn’t replace real-life friends. Stop and smell and the roses, and don’t tweet about it. Be in the moment! {Confession: I haven’t quite mastered this lesson yet.}
    
16. Don’t stop, get it, get it!
    Maybe you’re not a big fan of going to the gym, or working out. Don’t let that stop you from exercising. Walk in the park, dance when no one is watching, swim in the ocean. Just do it! Get that heart rate pumping, your future self will thank you.
17. Don’t force friendships.
    Some friendships last a lifetime, while others can at times be seasonal. And that’s okay! Cherish the current ones you have, and be thankful for the experiences you shared with others.
18. No one cares.
    No one cares about me?! What!! Yes. Really. At first, this seems a little harsh and then it becomes quite liberating. Life is fleeting, and one day you too will be forgotten. Your life becomes a little dash between two dates. So stop over-thinking things, be with the ones you love, and do what makes you happy.
19. Read. Whether it’s a book, a magazine, or an article. Keep that noggin’ working.
20. YOLO! Yup, I quoted Drake… Because you really only live once. So don’t stop learning, taking chances, loving, growing and being true to who you are. But even if you do all the above, you still won’t have it all figured out..  After all, no one really does. I sure don’t. So, bring on my 30’s!

    

    
    
    O’NEILL Overalls
    H&M Tank
    FOREVER 21 necklace
    PRABAL GURUNG X TARGET heels
    KATE SPADE bag (similar)