27 Life Lessons You Owe Yourself To Learn By 27

1. You will lose a lot of friends in your twenties. People who you’ll drift apart from and slowly realize you have nothing in common with anymore. But you’ll make new ones too.

2. Despite thinking ten years ago that you’d be married with kids by now, you’ll be more than content with being single or in a healthy, committed relationship. It’s more than okay not to feel settled.

3. Your parents are actually awesome, and you should spend all the time you can with them while you’re lucky enough to still have them around.

4. It’s much better to have just a few close friends who you’d trust with your life and would do anything for you, instead of a tonne of half-hearted ones.

5. Making healthier food choices is about so much more than your waistline. You realize that everything you consume effects your output, and you’re tired of self-sabotaging.

6. Life is too short to waste it on poor company, mundane work, toxic relationships, and bad blood. Let go of all of it.

7. Getting drunk and partying isn’t nearly as fun or satisfying as it used to be.

8. You realize that every single one of your decisions or actions has real-life consequences. Who you choose to spend time with, what you consume, and what you do. You know that in order to be successful you need to continue to make better choices every single day.

9. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Fear is simply in your mind and dissipates the moment you choose to face it head on.

10. There are way worse things than putting yourself out there and failing. In fact, failing is great – it’s a powerful way to learn and grow.

11. You can’t get on with everyone in this life, and there will always be people who don’t like you. The moment you stop trying to please everyone a weight will be lifted off your shoulders.

12. Holding on to anger or grudges only helps to keep you angry and weighed down by your past. Even if you can’t forgive, it’s important to be at peace within your heart and let go of anything that brings you down.

13. TV is 99% garbage and you’re much better off spending your precious time reading great books, listening to inspiring podcasts and stepping outside your front door and soaking up all of the wonder and beauty that surrounds you.

14. Your career does not define you. You are so much more than a title next to your name.

15. After a tough day, a night in with pizza and wine is blissful – never underestimate the power of melted cheese.

16. It’s important to not be afraid to let go of all the people who are no longer serving you in your life.

17. You’ve learned never to judge a book by its cover, because looks are often deceptive and totally irrelevant.

18. There’s only so much joy you can find in material possessions like your house, your car, or your clothes. Once you’ve made the purchase, that initial feeling of excitement fades fast. It’s much better to spend your money wisely on experiences that you’ll treasure for a lifetime.

19. When it comes to relationships, if you can’t see yourself with them forever you tend not to even bother dating them. Mr or Mrs Right Now no longer interests you because you’re tired of repeating your same mistakes and letting people in who you know aren’t ultimately good for you.

20. You finally see the value in being organised. Your calendar or day planner has become your Bible.

21. Money loses its appeal very quickly when you don’t love what you do and aren’t excited to jump out of bed on a Monday morning.

22. Day by day, you’re becoming more comfortable with your weight and the way you look. You understand that your body is a spectacular vehicle for your heart and soul, which allows you to live this incredibly magical life to the full.

23. Write things down and take more photos, because even if you’re certain you’ll remember this moment for the rest of your life, there’s no guarantee that you will.

24. Never take advice from anyone you wouldn’t want to trade places with. And in turn, seek out those you aspire to be like and build a relationship with them. There’s so much to learn and gain from people who have already done the very thing you’re trying to do.

25. Learning to love and respect yourself is the foundation to your life, and effects all of the subsequent choices you make.

26. You can either choose to allow your setbacks and sufferings to hold you back in this world, or you can choose to see them as lessons that made you wiser and stronger.

27. Turning 30 is actually nothing to be afraid of. Because what’s better than the gift of another three years living this crazy, beautiful thing called life?

Sometimes, all it takes is one book. One book that turns your world upside down. One book that changes your entire life.

Bloom by Shani Jay available here.