26 Truths You Should Embrace By 26

1. Working out is very much worth your time. It makes you feel as if you’re investing in yourself and giving yourself the gift of rejuvenation every day. Plus you’ll look great.

2. Some people are just not meant to stay, and if they decide to leave you should let them.

3. Life is too fucking short to not take bigger risks. Stability is valuable to a point, but nothing is really permanent. Life should feel like a constant stream of movement and change.

4. Money is best spent on experiences versus material things.

5. Finding an outlet for toxic or volatile emotions is vital to survival. Writing, painting, working out, screaming into an empty field, anything that helps you get things out in a healthy way. Find yours.

6. If they cheat once, they will do it again. Leave. Leave even though it’s the hardest thing to do. Leave before they drag you along for god only knows how long.

7. Try new things with your look or your fashion or your hair color. Now is really the time to see what feels right or even what feels cool and different. You never know what you might be into.

8. Treat yourself. But learn constraint within that—if it’s every day, it’s not a treat. It’s a poor habit forming.

9. Take care of your shit early. Pay your loans back. Pay off your car. If you work unbelievably hard for a little bit, you will be able to enjoy everything so much more and without any of the overhanging burden of debt.

10. They’re not going to call you and apologize. Let it go.

11. Let yourself be angry sometimes. Like truly, righteously, ungodly angry. Let it ALL out.

12. After you do that, release it all and walk away. Put forgiveness in the space that anger created. It’ll make you feel better.

13. Leaving a toxic work environment is the best decision you will ever make. Do it now. It’s not worth it to stay.

14. Invest more in your friendships, especially if you live near them. After a while, everyone moves to different places, and it is way easier to stay in contact if you build a solid foundation now.

15. No, you will not wear that—don’t buy it. Seriously.

16. You should go to therapy sooner. It’s amazing and you learn SO much about yourself, how you process, and your early warning signs. It’s worth every penny.

17. Call your parents more. Always. Or whomever fills that role for you.

18. Visit your grandparents. They won’t be around forever and you’ll think of everything you should’ve asked them the minute they are gone.

19. You have to try and choose happiness every day. It won’t always be possible, but it will build a healthy habit in your mind.

20. Try and enjoy where you are now, as it’s not where you’ll be forever.

21. Delete your Instagram for a while. You’re welcome.

22. On that note, everyone’s life is creepily curated to look perfect on social media. Even the more ‘real’ posts are carefully constructed to convince you of something. Be mindful of this.

23. Make time for hobbies. Reading, running, going to the park—these little habits layer up to make one happy human. Give them space to exist.

24. Embrace your talents. You might be really good at something, and due to the humbling nature of the world, you ignore it. Don’t. Explore it. Do more of it.

25. Do not ever close yourself off to love. It will always deserve a chance, even if people abuse it sometimes. Don’t blame love for people’s poor way of yielding it.

26. Start making peace with every part of yourself. It will take time, but truly being okay with all your emotional insides is a beautiful and intimidating power to hold.