I’ve been 22 for a while now, and honestly, it doesn’t even feel like it. I guess it’s because I turned 22 in the middle of a pandemic, so it doesn’t even feel real. Honestly, life doesn’t even feel real right now. I have no idea what’s going on with the state of the world.
I may not know much in these times of uncertainty, but what I do know is that I’ve learned a lot in my 23 years of life. I definitely don’t have it all figured out yet, but I’m getting there and I am still learning.
This post is all about 23 things I learned in 23 years:
1. Cherish the people in your life
Life is unpredictable; you never know what’s gonna happen. That’s why it’s important to cherish the people in your life because you never know when they won’t be there anymore.
With the crazy world we live in you honestly just never know anymore. Anything can happen. I never guessed in a million years that there would be this crazy pandemic happening. What is life because I don’t even know anymore?
I am grateful for every single person in my life. I don’t know what I would do without them, and I am blessed that they are still in my life.
2. Stop comparing yourself to others
“Comparison is the thief of joy” – Theodore Roosevelt
No truer words have been said. Okay, they probably have, but I like that quote lol. It’s true and so relatable.
Comparing yourself to others won’t make you happy, it will actually leave you feeling inferior to that person which brings you down. Always remember that you are not inferior to anybody!
Another reason you shouldn’t compare yourself to others is that you never really know what’s truly going on in people’s lives… they might want your life; you never know. I stopped comparing myself to people a long time ago because I am happy with who I am and what I accomplished.
Everyone’s journey is different, so there’s no need for comparisons
3. Take care of your mind & body
It is essential that you take care of yourself. Self-care can help reduce your stress and anxiety.
I have a bad habit of working out for weeks then missing a couple of days and not working out again until months later.
I’m working towards fixing that habit lol. Right now I’m doing the 10 Day Green Smoothie Cleanse, and once I’m done I will be back to working out (nonstop I hope).
This pandemic was/is driving me crazy. I’m in therapy now, and it’s been really good for my mental health. I do virtual sessions via zoom because of covid and I honestly love it. I like being able to talk to someone in my own comfort zone.
Eat healthily, drink lots of water, exercise, sleep, etc. Just make sure you’re taking care of yourself.
4. Travel
Book that trip! Go on a road trip, a cruise, overseas, etc. Just travel. It will be worth it.
I love traveling which is so crazy to me because I am also scared to fly. Thanks a lot Final Destination. Those movies ruined a lot of things for me lol
I’ve traveled to a lot of places and I’ve been on some cruises. I’ve had a blast on every getaway I’ve been on. There’s still a whole world out there waiting for me to explore and that’s my dream.
I am going to travel the world and experience different cultures (manifesting it now).
Life is about experience, so travel and experience the world.
5. DON’T DRINK ON AN EMPTY STOMACH
This should be self-explanatory. I shouldn’t even have to speak on this, but I just had to include this because of a recent experience.
I was stressed and depressed, so I decided to have fun and drink. Unfortunately, I didn’t think about the fact I had only eaten once that day. I went crazy on New Year’s Day. I’m ashamed. I don’t remember anything but the stories I was told afterward…
Never again though. That was the first and last time drinking on an empty stomach for me.
I could do a whole storytime on this, but I still can’t even talk about it lol. Maybe in a year or two.
6. It’s okay to make mistakes
Everybody makes mistakes
Everybody has those days
Everybody knows what, what I’m talking about
Everybody gets that way
If you don’t know Hannah Montana then we can’t be friends…
No, but seriously, everybody makes mistakes and everyone is gonna keep on making mistakes. It’s life; you live and you learn, so just try not to make the same mistake twice.
I’ve made plenty of mistakes that I’m not proud of, but those were lessons learned and I’ve moved on from them.
7. Quality over quantity when it comes to friendships
When it comes to friendships, quality matters more than quantity. You need friends that are genuine to you, care about you, understand you, support you, and most importantly, won’t judge you.
Unlike family, you can choose your friends, so choose wisely!
I’ve lost a couple of friends throughout my life, and I’ll probably lose some more. It’s whatever because I’d rather have no friends than a bunch of fake ones.
Shoutout to my real friends who are still here!
8. You can’t live in fear
I actually just learned this in the past year. I was so scared of COVID omg my anxiety was through the roof. When I tell you I didn’t leave my house for like 4-5 months because I was scared, it was bad for me.
I did not work, and I got everything delivered to me. I was scared of those deliveries too lol (I sanitized everything).
It was really bad for me. I can admit that. I’ve gotten a lot better since the beginning of COVID. I realized I can’t be scared of everything because that is no way to live. I am now able to leave the house, get my own groceries, and even hang out with my friends who I really missed.
I’m still staying safe. Even vaccinated, I have my 2 masks, face shield, hand sanitizer, and Lysol wherever I go.
9. Love yourself
“Love yourself girl, or nobody will” -J Cole
Self-love is important. Scratch that, self-love is essential because when you love yourself,
you feel better about yourself, you start making better decisions for yourself, you know your worth, you stop seeking happiness and approval from other people, the list goes on.
You can’t love someone else if you don’t love yourself.
10. Life is short
Life is too short sometimes. I still wish I had more time with some people who aren’t here anymore.
My mother used to tell me that there were 2 things promised in life: death and taxes. I wish that wasn’t true because I don’t like death and I don’t understand taxes. Unfortunately, it is true though, and there’s nothing nobody can do about it.
Life is short, so make the most of it and enjoy the ride. That’s why I plan on living it up every day for the rest of my life while I can because nothing lasts forever.
11. Find your purpose
I think in order to find your purpose in life, you have to first find yourself. I’m on a journey of self-discovery right now. After all, that’s what your twenties are for. I’m still searching for myself and my purpose, and that’s perfectly fine with me because I’m still young and I’m still learning.
Maybe my purpose in writing this, or perhaps I’ll have many purposes in life. I may not know much, but I do know that I’m going to find my purpose and share it.
12. Save money and build credit
Start saving your money early because you never know when you’re gonna need it. I started saving money when I got my first job at 16, and I’m glad I did because it proved to be useful.
Shoutout to my savings accounts for keeping me alive when I couldn’t work due to my anxiety.
I learned about credit late. I knew about credit cards, but I didn’t know about credit scores and what affects them. I got my first credit card my senior year of college because I wanted to have good credit before I graduated. (I don’t mean to brag or anything, but your girl is in the 700’s).
Honestly, there should be a class in high school that teaches you important life things like
credit.
13. Dreams require sacrifice
Your dreams won’t come true unless you work hard for them, and if you are not willing to make sacrifices then say goodbye to your dreams. Nothing in life comes easy.
I’m still working on making my dreams my reality. I have a lot of work to do. My ultimate dream is to make money doing nothing. When I figure that one out, it is over lol.
14. Sometimes things don’t work out for a reason
Everything is not gonna go your way, and that is okay. Sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture of things and decide if something doesn’t work out then maybe it’s a blessing in disguise.
Don’t stress if things don’t go your way; focus on the positive and keep it pushing.
15. Cut off negative people
I will cut you off in a heartbeat. I don’t care who you are, anybody can get cut off; go ask my family.
I consider myself chill AF: I don’t like to be upset, I don’t like to argue, I don’t like to fight, I don’t like bad vibes/energy, I don’t like drama and I don’t like to be hurt by people I care about.
I just want to be happy. So if you aren’t contributing to my happiness, or if you are bringing negative energy my way, then it’s a wrap – you’re cut.
I used to feel bad for it, but at the end of the day, I have to do what is best for me. Now I make no apologies for revoking people’s access to me.
If I do cut you off just know that it’s your fault because I really be chilling lol.
16. Change is inevitable
“Change is the only constant in life.”
Heraclitus
Whether you like it or not, change is gonna happen. There’s no stopping or resisting it, you just gotta accept it. Everything changes; people, technology, the world, etc.
I know I changed. I am not the same person I was back in high school or even the same person I was 2 years ago. When I say I changed, I don’t mean it like I’m a completely different person. I just mean that I grew up and I’m more mature now.
17. Live your life for you
You cannot live your life for other people. Live life your way, and do what makes you happy. Forget about everybody else.
I used to wanna live up to people’s expectations, but I’m over that now. I literally couldn’t care less if I’m not who other people want me to be.
It’s my life, my journey, I make the rules. I write the book, and if you don’t like that? Tough; I am my number 1 priority.
18. It’s okay to not have life figured out
I feel like society pressured us into thinking that we only have a limited amount of time to accomplish something. That is straight bs.
It’s okay not to have your life together all the time. You are not alone. Most people don’t have a clue what they’re doing, and the people who did know are now changing careers. All of that’s okay because the goal is to do something that makes you happy.
I may not be where I want to be in life right now, but I know I’m gonna get there. There is no need to stress about it because I have plenty of time.
Of course, my life’s a mess, I’m only 22.
19. Step out of your comfort zone
Stepping out of your comfort zone allows you to experience and discover new things to love.
I used to want to stay in my comfort zone all the time, but I learned that is no way to truly live life. If I hadn’t stepped out of my comfort zone, I would still be scared to travel
I even tried escargot once which, while it was weird, honestly wasn’t that bad! I probably wouldn’t get it again, but hey at least I tried it. The old me would have ordered chicken fingers and french fries lol.
20. Life will get better
We all have our bad days, and it’s okay because it’s a part of life. No matter what happens, life will get better. It might hurt now, and the hurt might last for a while, but you will heal from it. Trust the process!
21. Never feel guilty for putting yourself first
Putting yourself first is not selfish, so don’t apologize or feel guilty. You are your own priority, so you have to take care of yourself and do what’s best for you. Yes, you should help others and support others when you can, but it should never be at the expense of your own health and well-being.
And if someone tries to make you feel guilty for putting yourself first, then you need to cut that person from your life (refer to point 15).
22. Don’t say it unless you mean it
You know that old saying, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”? It’s absolutely not true: words can hurt.
Some words can have a negative effect on you like destroying your confidence and lowering your self-esteem. Words are powerful, so be mindful of what you say because you can’t take it back. This goes for speaking to others as well as what you say to yourself.
I’m about to be 23 soon, which basically means I’m pushing 30. I lowkey wish I could hit pause on my age because the older you get the more responsibilities you have and I don’t need or want any more of those lol. But who knows, maybe I’ll pick up a few more life lessons along the way.
These are 22 things I learned in 22 years. What are some life lessons you learned? Feel free to comment below to let me know 🙂
