9 Things Every 20-Something Should Do

As of last week, I'm 23! Last Thursday was my birthday and it was a super fun day (I've taken some major time off - more on that later - but thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday! XO). It's sort of hard to believe though, and I NEVER feel that way about my age. And I don't have to sit here and tell you how fast time seems to move because that isn't any secret. That being said, I try and set attainable goals for myself and things I want to do and accomplish each year, but the key word here is attainable. I'm pretty sure the majority of us often set unrealistic goals for ourselves, so instead of coming up with things to do in a specific short amount of time, here's some things that every 20-something should know, know how to do and learn - all throughout your 20's. ;)
Take time to take vacations. We're only this young once, and now is THE best time to travel the world as we see fit. I know I'm not alone when I say that traveling and seeing as much of this beautiful world is at the top of my bucket list, and in the words of my smart mamma, these young years of our lives only come once and we should take full advantage of it! Take advantage of your vacation days from work, your summers and any chance you get. Materialistic items are fun to own, but they won't provide you with the experiences that your travels will.

I know how expensive traveling can be but it really doesn't have to be. Consider starting a travel fund; since implementing these (actually very) simple things, I've been able to save a LOT and begin planning some dream trips! If you have a travel bug too, I highly recommend starting some sort of travel fund, no matter how small it starts off.

Think about the choices you're making. We're adults now, and every choice we make affects us in one way or another. It may be how we learn, but ain't nobody got time for making mistakes that could have EASILY been avoided by stopping and thinking for a quick second. ;) Pay attention to your spending habits, your activities, what you put out there on the internet; think about your responsibilities and be cautious. Pay a little bit more attention to your actions and the choices you make, and you'll see a difference.

Live alone. Some people love it, some hate it and some are nervous to live alone. I'm the nervous one over here, raising my hand! But it IS a great experience and it teaches you to be independent and learn so, so, SO much about yourself. From managing your money to growing as a person and really being the adult that you are. Even if it's for a few months, it's worth it. And definitely on my list!

Learn to love yourself. This is easier said than done, and definitely something I need to take my own advice on and learn to do. These are some of the best, yet hardest years of our lives (and we thought being teenagers was hard!). My friends and I are all in such different stages of our lives - I have friends who are having babies, friends who are getting married, friends who are still in college - I could go on and on about just how different we all are and the different life stages we're all in. Knowing where you are in your life is important, especially so with the comparison game we ALL know that we play in our minds.

Loving yourself and learning to have self esteem is what our 20's are all about - we're not teenagers anymore, and we can grow out of those shells and into the self-serving, independent young adults we're all meant to be.

Know when to shut up, listen and learn. Pretty self explanatory.

Accept that things won't happen exactly how you've planned them. You likely have a plan - whether it's a life plan, a year plan or even a generic idea of what you want. I hate to burst any bubbles, but these plans will likely have kinks in them. They'll change, you'll change and honestly it can often be a huge blessing in disguise. Everything that's meant to happen will happen and the sooner that you accept that your plan will likely change, the better off you'll be.

At first, I learned this the hard way. Now I know that I'm better off meeting every experience, challenge and opportunity head on and with an opened mind.

Really take care of your skin. We'll thank ourselves come the big 3-0! Find a skincare routine you LOVE, and do it religiously. Day and night, 7 days a week. I talk a lot about my skincare favorites and products I try and love - find what you need and like, and make a routine that works for you. Aiming to look 23 when I'm in my 40's over here! ;)

Build your network. Professionally and personally. Make connections - get out there and do things you may not have done a year ago. Your job likely depends on it both present and future, and friendship building is crucial, that's no secret!

Do something(s) out of your comfort zone. Don't do the predictable - step out of your comfort zone, be brave and do something you never could have pictured doing at this time last year, two years ago, etc. I've been doing this more and man it is SCARY. It's uncomfortable and seems like a stupid thing to do, making yourself feel this way. But once you're out of that zone (quite literally), you feel SO DAMN GOOD. Try making a list of things that make you cringe when you think about doing them, get everything written down so you can visually see what scares you and what's out of your comfort zone. Then, try and figure out why they make you feel this way. Writing things down and getting it out there helps more than you'd think!

We're only this young once, so live it up and use this learning period in your life to your advantage! XOXO -A