16 Things I’ve Learned About Life At Age 27
At 27, I have developed the ability to reflect and am a little wiser than a year ago. Here are some random thoughts I’ve learned and valuable breakthroughs I’ve had that put a positive spin on getting older.
At 27, I have developed the ability to reflect and am a little wiser than a year ago. Here are some random thoughts I’ve learned and valuable breakthroughs I’ve had that put a positive spin on getting older.
1. God is good all the time.
You may be experiencing tough situations, but you learned the assurance that God is good and always stands faithful. You learned to rely on God’s protection and guidance. God’s goodness and love last forever. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever.” (Psalm 107:1)
2. Family will always be important.
Your family is all that you have. They have been there from the beginning, have watched you grow up, and have pushed you to be the best. You learned that they have sacrificed so much for you—preparing you to spread your wings and preparing you to be independent. You learned that who you are today is because of your family, who molded you to become a better person. And no matter where you are right now, you can always fly back home when you need to.
3. The courage to live on your own.
Your family taught you on how to spread your wings and be independent. You learned so much about yourself the moment you move to your own apartment. Adulting is quite tough—you clean your apartment, you buy your groceries, you pay your own bills, and you support and treat your family on special occasions. You learned how to cook for yourself and perfected creating your own healthy meals. You learned how to go to a restaurant you’ve always wanted to try or watch a movie by yourself. You learned to nurse yourself when you are sick. You learned to discipline yourself to do some exercise which your future self will thank you for later on. And the toughest thing is when you finally learned to self-motivate because no one will be there to do it for you. Life must go on anyway, and continue to be the best version of yourself.
4. Simplify.
Isn’t it amazing to have a simpler and less materialistic life? As Gretchen Rubin says, “be more with less.” Living with less creates space to discover and focus on what truly matters. It is overwhelming to think for a major overhaul. You learned to start it one step at a time. Ever start decluttering your wardrobe? But don’t remove the items in number 5.
5. Owning timeless and classic pieces will never go out of style.
You learned not to chase the latest fashion trends or buy hot picks just because they are on sale. Owning the right pieces of high quality is not about looking great—it’s also about saving money. After all, trends don’t last. You learned to dress according to your own style and identity. For others, they wanted to dress for success. As Michelle Moore says, “dressing for success may sound intimidating, expensive and a bit vain; however, keep in mind that your presentation creates credibility.” You learned that you’ll never go wrong wearing classic pieces that create lasting impression.
6. You deserve taking short breaks and traveling to new places.
You learned that it’s best to be away, take a few steps back to gain clarity on the situation, explore something else for a little while, and return to where you started and see things with a new set of eyes.
7. Write down your to-do list.
You learned to develop a system on how to get things started and done. It creates order, sets priorities, tracks your progress, and organizes your schedule.
8. Quality over quantity.
Cliché as it may sound, what really matters is the quality of relationships. It is fulfilling to only have a small circle, but a strong and high-quality one. You learned to value, cultivate, and focus more of the close friendship. You learned to find meaning on every deep conversation as an amazing one…which brings us to number 9.
9. The importance of finding your tribe.
Isn’t it amazing to be able to find where you belong? You learned that it takes a lot of understanding to know who you really are and then surround yourself with similar people whom you can connect with the same values, interest, and outlook on life. This is not about sameness on the outside but rather having the same resonance.
10. The wings of saying “no.”
You learned to say “no” when you don’t want to and not allowing FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) guide where you go. It’s really important to think about what you care about and then do these things proactively.
11. The need to be alone sometimes.
You learned that there’s nothing wrong about being alone. For some introverted millennials, this is their way of recharging themselves to get some energy after a busy day.
12. The pursuit of starting a passion project.
You learned to start something (painting, reading books, playing another instrument, or cooking another kind of cuisine) that inspires you. Doing something that lights you up actually makes you feel good about yourself.
13. Saving and learning about investing.
You learned to apply the formula of Income – Savings = Expenses. You actually heard about this when you were young but never really practiced doing it. But now, you learned to discipline yourself to save first before spending. You learned that even you can’t afford to invest or build a bigger portfolio, you can simply start learning various investing tools and check how it all works and start investing. You learned the principle of delayed gratification, and your future self will thank you for that.
14. Let go of the things that don’t matter and the power of acceptance.
You learned that to be able to move forward is to let go of pain, disappointment, and regret in life. You learned to finally forgive the people who hurt you. You learned to accept the things that you can’t change anymore. You learned to choose peace of mind and find valuable lessons behind every challenge.
15. Your gratitude journal is your best friend.
Being thankful is a good habit. A winning mindset means being able to be grateful for everything. By keeping a gratitude journal, you learned to build up your strengths when things don’t go well. It’s an antidote to negative emotions which will mold you to be an optimist—to only focus on the good and see the goodness in everything. You will then learn that you just want nothing more than happiness and peace of mind.
16. There’s a road to being a better person.
This is what truly sets you apart—to live full of purpose. This is an everyday commitment. You learned that to be genuine with a beautiful heart and soul is far more important than just skin deep. You learned to give back to community, or support a cause, or help a stranger. It is developing a good character even no one is looking. 
