10 Things To Remember While You’re Still Young

1. Be selfish.

It’s easy when you’re young to prioritize other people, especially people you feel comfortable around, but don’t forget you need to be put first, too. Don’t feel bad for indulging in self-love, and allow it to go beyond face masks and binge watching your favorite show. Make decisions for you and what’s best for only you, because the older you get, the more you’ll realize all you have is yourself.

2. Love hard.

You don’t have anything to lose. If you have your doubts in a relationship, step back, meet new people, and branch out. And if you are weary of relationships, take a leap, surprise yourself, and know it doesn’t have to last forever. Don’t cut yourself short of exploring all and any options this world has to offer. You have the rest of your life to find the person you’ll spend it with, and I guarantee you will know exactly who that person is when you cross paths with them.

3. Travel.

I know it sounds cliche, but you deserve to live a life full of stories, and there isn’t a single person who ends up regretting their travels. If there is a trip you’re thinking about, save and just go. Chances are, the opportunities lessen the more you put it off, and everyone deserves the right to be impulsive, crazy, and adventurous. Allow yourself to be daring.

4. Say “no” less.

Go to the concert, go on the date, and bar-hop with your friends even when you only have one season left to finish. Life is short, and even though you’re young, things could happen that could prevent you from ever getting this opportunity again. You will never know what you have until it’s gone. Live this life with as little regret as possible.

5. Find your little things.

Whether it’s watching sunrises, or taking walks through downtown, or reading under a certain tree, never stop searching for the little things that make you feel peaceful and happy and infinite. Those moments exist, you just have to appreciate the little things, and you can practice that by doing things more often. You’ll find your niche. Be grateful for those very small things that have the biggest impact.

6. Let it go.

The past is in the past. You may have your regrets, mistakes, and lack of closure, but I promise you dwelling on the past will not help any self-progression. Recognize what you don’t want to happen in the future, be cautious of it, but after recognizing it, remain in the present and put your focus there. Moments pass, and you will miss things right in front of you by paying attention to the things you can no longer change.

7. Recognize your hard work.

Surviving is success, and you do not need a degree, a career, a marriage, or children to be validated. You living is already something worth celebrating. It’s so easy to feel like your milestones do not matter compared to how others line up, but that isn’t true. You have done some amazing things in your life—write them down, look at them every once in a while, add things every now and then, and reward yourself for your success.

8. Don’t manage friendships just for the sake of having one.

Often people get comfortable in toxic friendships. Sometimes we get to know someone so well that we no longer grow from the friendship we share. If you feel like a friend is dragging you down or is preventing real self-growth, just let the friendship go. They may end up never talking to you again or making you feel like you’re the issue, but it’s easier to do it now than down the line when there are too many ties to cut. Plus, it really is okay to recognize your worth and demand more.

9. You do not have to know everything.

In fact, you don’t know everything. It’s easy when you’re young to believe you have it all figured it out, and often we do that most likely because we are afraid to admit how little we actually know, but first admit you don’t know everything and then introduce new things. Explore. Try. Maybe you’ll be surprised at how much more you can learn when you try.

10. Do everything wholeheartedly.

Having a big heart and using it will shape a life for you with positivity, growth, and love in return. Be unconditional and have no reservations about the way you demonstrate your feelings. I’m just saying that there isn’t harm in being genuinely you to whoever you encounter, and positivity attracts positivity.