25 Things I’ve Learned In 25 Years

1. Do not try to change someone. Date someone for who they are. Either like their qualities, or find someone whose qualities you do like as-is.

2. Learn to love yourself before getting into a relationship. Don’t be in a relationship for reassurance of how pretty you are. You’ll never believe it.

3. If you love someone, tell them, whether it’s your significant other, family members, or friends.

4. Spend more time with your parents. As we get older, so do they.

5. It is okay if you are not in a relationship, even if everyone else around you is getting engaged and married. Do not settle just because you think you should.

6. Do not wait for retirement to travel the world. Do it while you are young and mobile. Who knows if you will be alive for retirement?

7. Bad days do not last forever, neither do good days. Learn to handle the situation during the bad times and cherish all the good times.

8. Do not plan your life out according to a time table. You never know when life will throw a curve ball at you.

9. Each person that you’ve encountered with in your life has played some type of role which you have grown as a person. Do not forget them.

10. Do not stress over situations in your life that cannot be controlled. It’s easier said than done, but it’s something to learn to handle as young adults. Life is never going to get any easier.

11. Do not compare your life to the lives of others. You will never be happy.

12. Make a conscious effort to be less materialistic.

13. Learn to be at peace with your natural beauty rather than caking yourself with makeup. It’s okay if you have a pimple on your cheek, no one is perfect.

14. If you have a job that pays enough for you to pay your bills, be grateful for that job.

15. If you’re making more than an average person, help those that are less fortunate than you are.

16. Social media is great, but don’t invest so much of your time on it.

17. It’s nice to actually call or send a birthday card to your loved ones rather than a text message or Facebook post.

18. Take care of your body. Sign up for a marathon, or run for a cause that will help those in need. People always complain that races are expensive, but if you can spend that much at a bar, why not contribute to a good cause?

19. Talk to random people in social settings. This will make you a more well- rounded person, and chances are good you’ll make a new friend, too.

20. Failure just makes you stronger. You’ll be able to say you’ve experienced rough times that made you into who you are today.

21. Learn to make your own decisions. It’s good to ask for advice from your peers, but at the end of the day, learn to take the risk on your own terms.

22. Try different foods from different cultures. Respect the fact if someone is a vegan, vegetarian, or meat eater.

23. Who you were at 20 doesn’t define who you are at 25. Your mentality changes as your explore more of life.

24. There’s a time and place to be drunk. Learn from those embarrassing nights. Professional settings may not always be an appropriate place to imbibe.

25. Love what you do for a living. Not everyone loves their job, but this is the time to figure out what you are passionate about. Take the risk to try something new.