Love Yourself And Other Life Lessons For My 20 y.o Self

Everyone who was once 20, knows how difficult, trying yet fun that time can be. Here are some life lessons the author wants to share with her 20-year-old self. 

Being 20 is the time when you are hustling, you are working hard but also the time when all anxieties and questions come crashing on you! I, too, was 20 a while ago, and here are the life lessons I learnt and want my 20-year-old self to know.

You are you and that’s enough

The most important of the life lessons is that you are enough. And exactly where you are supposed to be in your journey.

It’s alright to want different things and have a completely different opinion from the majority of the people you hang out with.

There is nothing wrong is wanting the very best and waiting till you get it. You need not be afraid to want something even when there is a voice inside your head telling you that you don’t deserve it.

At the same time, it is also okay to believe and think that you deserve the moon and not settle for anything less than that. It takes a lot of gumption to be clear about what you want without being confused or led by anyone.

Have faith in yourself

It is okay to feel insecure about everything and everyone, just have faith in yourself and be kind to yourself.

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You will grow apart from your parents and their thought process and it’s okay if that happens. No need to feel guilty about it.

Maintaining a distance from your family is okay especially after you realise that you’ve grown apart. It might suddenly dawn upon you that they don’t get you despite having spelt it out to them.

Saying no is not a big deal, especially to people who drain your emotions and sanity.

At the same time, it’s alright to break away from relationships that do nothing for you. Even if it means being alone. It is only then you come to realise that being alone is not the same as being lonely.

Stand up for yourself and others

If you have the guts to call out the wrong, it’s okay even if it comes at the cost of being unpopular.

It’s alright to stand up for the underdog and stay there till you are needed.

At the same time, being selfish is also okay, as it is to put yourself first. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.

It’s alright to walk away from an unpleasant and an unhappy situation, be it a job or a home or a person. Even if the alternative is nothing or next to nothing.

You will make mistakes. Accept them

You have an opinion about something or someone, be open to changing it if and when you realise you have made a mistake.

It’s alright to make your own mistakes and learn from them.

None of us is born perfect. So it is okay to have conflicting emotions towards a person and living with it.

You are a human. Embrace it

Embrace lust, it doesn’t mean you are bad person.

Similarly, it’s okay to not want what you have and want what you don’t. You are only human.

If you don’t feel like doing something some times, that’s okay. We all need to take out time to do nothing to be able to to do the things we do well.

The only person you can rely on to get a job done is yourself.

Have the strength to do the right thing for yourself and on your own. You matter. And you have to take care of you.

Friendship, prayer and gratitude are important

Never underestimate the power of a good friendship and how it can change your life.

Don’t underestimate the power of prayer and the change it can bring in your life.

Always practice gratitude and witness the changes that bring to your life.

It’s extremely important to have a moral compass and to adhere to it.

Perspective is a great word to learn, understand and digest. More than half the problems in our life can be solved if we mull over it for a bit.

Life is no race. Take your own time

Finally, life is not a race, it’s a journey, no one is going to get out alive.

Enjoy it while it lasts.

Final life lessons: remember that you are not given any problem in your life that you cannot handle. What does not kill you will only make you stronger.

Picture credits: Pexels

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