Part of the process of growing up is learning new things and gaining enough life experience that you can really start to figure out what’s going on without always having to be told by others.
Even though we don’t expect people in their 20s to know everything, these people in their 30s (or older) think that twentysomethings should know some things – including these 16 truths.
16. You don’t have to feel good all the time.
Life is a f**king roller coaster. One day could be fucking awesome, the next day could be horrible.
You don’t have to feel good all the time. Take a moment to stop and listen to your needs.
“You don’t have to feel good all the time”. Huge lesson there. I’m learning this in a different way – as I am always seeking comfort and ease.
I know it’s okay to be uncomfortable but still progressing.
15. So maybe don’t get married.
You’re still going to grow and change and want completely different things even after you feel like you’ve figured out who you are.
To add to this, do things you will want to do now but won’t when you get older. You’re going to want those memories when you’re older.
14. Your health isn’t forever.
Your body will hate you someday. You won’t be able to eat and drink like you’re 20 forever. And sleep will become very important.
13. Just keep learning.
When I turned 20 I realized 15 y/o me was an idiot who thought he knew everything and actually knew nothing.
When I was 25 I realized 20 y/o me was also an idiot who knew so little.
I turn 30 this year and 25 y/o me wasn’t an idiot, but he still had a lot to learn.
I know that in another 5 years I’ll look back at myself now and think how little I knew about myself and the world.
Just gotta keep learning.
12. Take care of yourself.
I mean, when you get older you just won’t care to do it that much anymore. Part of the reason is because you have two day hangovers, but it loses its novelty and you’ll want to do other things. Staying in and having dinner & a game night with friends is WAY more appealing than going to a bar and getting hammered and acting a fool. I can’t even imagine wanting to be 20 again. Maybe the youthful looks, but the way I acted and partied, no thank you. You will have a different mind set when you are older.
I highly recommend sunscreen to everybody of all ages. Once you hit your 30’s, all that tanning you did that looked so good, now looks like sun damage. You start to see wrinkles and freckles that no longer look cute, but make you look old and worn.
Also, exercise and start eating better. Your metabolism goes downhill and its so easy to gain weight. You won’t be able to eat what you’re eating or as much as you’re eating now, when you are older. Also, all the crap food you eat, will start to make you feel gross and bloated. I still eat junk food some days, but man do I feel so much better when I eat healthy. You can really tell a difference.
Also, put some money into a savings account every paycheck you get. I wish I would have saved more money when I was younger and living with my parents still.
Don’t stay in a toxic relationship, just because it’s “comfortable” and all you know. I regret being in a relationship with an abusive, cheating, narcissist for 4.5 years.
Therapy is good and for everyone.
11. Sometimes paths diverge.
You’ll lose some friends you’d never thought you’d lose. It’s a decade where life changes so dramatically that sometimes paths split, and that’s okay.
our friends having kids while we don’t has been the single most common and biggest factor in making friendships drift apart in our 30s.
It’s practically impossible to be on the same page at that point, the ones with kids stick together and make plans with each other separately from those of us who don’t.
10. Experience is the best and worst teacher.
The difference between a healthy relationship and a trauma bond.
9. They really don’t teach you.
Financial education.
Two things I wish I believed in my early 20s.
Save 10% of everything, save it in something gaining interest to match inflation. I thought I could personally manage my investments, I’ve learned I dont have the emotional strength for it. I’ve gained more in my questwealth portfolio (managed with low fees) than my personal investment portfolio (I just use it for fun now).
But even $25/ week will grow with a lifetime of saving and once you start seeing the benefit you’ll find you are more enticed into growing your pot than you are now.
Really think about where your money is best serving you. I have a student loan that was 45k, now 7.5k, but the interest rate is incredibly low. I decided to dedicate a bunch of my earnings towards it, virtually anything I could outside of an emergency fund. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I paid almost 40k off, but I wish I had only paid 20k off and put 5% down on a 400k property a few years ago.
Right now is maybe not the best time, but think about any property as a long term investment. Something that keeps your dollar investment growing with inflation instead of staying stagnant.
8. Such a tough one in the world today.
Financial literacy.
If I knew then what I know now, I’d have more than $20 in my bank account……… I’d have $21.
Inflation is a b*%ch. My last 20 used to get gas and a full set of groceries. Now it gets a frozen dinner and some food for the dog.
7. Two solid pieces of advice.
Time is relative, stay outta jail.
On that same note….stuff gets serious when you’re an adult. Something that might not get you jail time as a teenager can very well land you criminal charges as an adult.
Don’t get into fights. Don’t trespass. Don’t be stupid about drugs. Don’t steal anything. Things that seem like pranks can land you with fines or jail time, both of which can absolutely ruin your life
6. Sometimes we’re unhappy.
Being unhappy is not an emergency and you don’t have to do something right now to “fix it.” Impulsive decisions usually make things worse or at the very least more complicated.
It is ok and normal to be sad or angry.
5. Cleaning is a skill.
If you aren’t someone who is naturally inclined to be very organized and clean your home on a regular basis, start working on this skill, it’s a biggie.
Your future spouse will thank you–and if you’re single, you’ll really need to learn this.
4. Only compete with yourself.
Always learn.
Don’t break your finances to “keep up” or “look cool”.
3. It can be a process.
Last 10 years
College: who cares if I am disorganised
First rented apartment: no cares
Age 25: oh no! How did I get into this mess
Age 28: make no mess have no mess
2. More to life.
Social media was never important.
I think acknowledging that posting every bit of your life on social media is unhealthy is an important step. I was in my early 20s when Instagram first started, and was in high school when Facebook just began. It has been ingrained into my psyche that I need to post pictures of everything in my life, specifically the stuff that makes me look good.
Then I realized (embarrassingly recently) that the pictures I take of my husband being a goof, or of our travels, or of my sister and I teasing each other, those moments belong to me, to my family. Not to the entire world or people I haven’t seen since high school or college. Those are my memories, my joy, my love.
1. Be able to self-analyze.
Be mindful of the patterns of your life. If the same things happen over time with different people, you are most likely your own problem.
My dad had a coworker who had gone through 4 bad marriages with abusive partners, and he recounted to me that she told him: “I’m not going to date again. Not all men in this world are a$$holes, but all the men I date turn out to be a$$holes. I probably just have a taste for a$$holes and I’m just done eating s*%t.”
It can be hard to earn that experience, but just be open to it, y’all!
What else do you think more people in their 20s should know? If you’re older than 30, weigh in with your thoughts below!
