Things I've Learned By 25

Now that I’m 25, it feels like this first leg of life’s marathon has come to a close. What does that mean for me? I took the time to reflect on my life’s highs and lows. Where have I made progress? What do I still lack? What can be improved? All of those questions went through my mind on my birthday. What else did I think about? The lessons I learned up to this point. How can I summarize the learned lessons so young? This is what I came up with:

#1 Your overall health matters — Physically, mentally, and emotionally. Your health is important, no matter what!

#2 Make impactful financial decisions — Money controls our livelihood sadly. It’s a catalyst for determining where we are and where we want to be. Your money moves should always have your best interests!

#3 Realize you don’t owe your job your life — Time is a valuable and limited resource. Your time shouldn’t be spent exhausting yourself for a job that will replace you before the clock strikes midnight. Establish boundaries between work and life right now!

#4 Find your tribe — Life is not meant to be done alone. We are social people at the core of our humanity. Connection and community keep us going. Find the people in your life that’ll make it better, keep you grounded, and uplift you!

#5 Establish boundaries — It’s hard but it’s necessary. Having boundaries means you give a d*** about your well-being and you won’t compromise them under any circumstances. A very necessary life lesson.

#6 Take days off — Everyone needs a reset! It’s okay to take a break from life. You need to rewind in order to re-focus! Go on a vacation, hit the arcade, catch the game, or do whatever you do to help you relax!

#7 Your 20s will be confusing — The transition from adolescence to early adulthood is scary. There’s pressure to remove child’s play but you also want to enjoy your youth.

#8 Learn how to budget —Keeping up with Joneses was never feasible. The older you get, the more important finances become. Budgets work when you apply theory to practice. It’s a lifesaver!

#9 Acknowledge when something isn’t for you — If you’ve given something all of your efforts, only to find out it doesn’t fit you, it’s okay to admit! Trial and error are important. You got to try things out before landing where you’re supposed to be!

#10 It’s okay not to have everything together — We often find ourselves comparing our lives to the lives of our peers. You cannot fall into the trap. Your life’s journey will not look the same as others.

#11 Do not attempt to rekindle old flames — A very important I learned early this year. The past is the past for a reason. Leave the history for the partner who is the right fit!

#12 Allow growth to happen — Growth is uncomfortable but, it’s how we learn to be better humans. When we grow, we unlock our true potential.

#13 Do not let your family run your life — Family is important but, you only get one life to live. If that life is spent bending for their approval, you will be miserable. Stand ten toes down and firm!

#14 Allow failure — It sucks to experience shortcomings when you’re trying to elevate your game, but don’t underestimate what failure can teach you. Sometimes, you’re more attentive when things do not go your way.

There are other lessons I’ve grown to hold dear in my 25 years of living, but for the sake of time, we won’t cover them all. Turning 25 has inspired me to take a step back and realize that my life has improved in a lot of ways. I’m more aware and mature. I have achieved more than I thought was possible. There are still areas of improvement. There always be. Right now, I just look at it as me peeling life’s adventures like an onion. Peeling a layer at a time.

The journey is ongoing. The more layers I peel, the closer I get to the real. I look forward to what the year will bring. I look forward to the next layer.