Introduction:
When you’re in your twenties, life can feel like one big party. You’re young, you have all the time in the world and everything seems possible.
But when you hit your thirties, things get real—and not just because your biological clock is ticking and all of a sudden you realize that having kids might actually be something you want to do.
No matter how much fun it may seem, there’s some stuff in life that will definitely make you regret not doing it sooner rather than later. So here are 16 things to do while you’re still young enough to enjoy them:
Picking your friends wisely and not letting go of the good ones:
- While it’s easy to think of your 20s as a time for partying, binge-watching and other fun activities, you’ll find that the people you surround yourself with can have a big impact on how successful you are at achieving your goals.
- In fact, one of the most important things to do in your 20s is pick your friends wisely and not let go of the good ones. It’s also important not to be afraid of making new friends or changing friends if they don’t treat you well.
Not being afraid to take risks:
- If you’ve always been a risk-averse person, it’s time to take that plunge. Sure, it might be scary at first. But once you get over that initial fear, the world is yours!
- You will only regret not taking risks if you don’t take any risks at all in your life. If you do something every day that scares you or makes you uncomfortable (e.g., trying new foods or wearing something outside of your comfort zone), then everything else seems like a walk in the park compared to the rest of your life.
- If you have a fear of something, it’s time to face that fear head-on. Think about what scares you the most (e.g., public speaking or heights), and go do it! You might not enjoy it at first, but eventually, it will become easier and more enjoyable.
Making mistakes, failing:
- When you’re young, your goals are big. You have big dreams and even bigger plans to achieve them. But those big dreams don’t always turn out as expected. Sometimes they fail completely. And that’s okay! Failure is a part of life and every one has failed at something in their life—even Steve Jobs famously went through his “wilderness period.”
- By definition, failure means that you tried and failed to reach your goal or fulfill your dream; it doesn’t mean that thing was impossible for anyone else or yourself in the future.
- Even though it may seem like an impossible task at the time, try not to let those failures discourage you from trying again when the opportunity arises! If one door closes another opens—and if nothing else there will always be another opportunity down the line somewhere waiting for you (plus there’s always room for improvement).
Making time for yourself as much as others:
- The best advice I’ve ever been given is to make time for yourself as much as others. When you are able to do that, it really sets the tone for everything else in your life.
- You can be there for other people if you know that you have taken care of yourself first. It’s important to be selfish sometimes and not always available when someone needs your help. This will only lead to resentment later on down the line and no one wants that!
Being financially responsible:
- You’ll never regret being financially responsible. You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression, so start saving early and often. Start small and build up your savings to cover future emergencies and big purchases.
- Start by creating a budget that accounts for all of your expenses (like rent or mortgage payments), as well as savings goals such as retirement or an emergency fund.
- Put money aside that you can set aside every month without fail—even if it’s just $25 at first—and pay yourself first before you spend on anything else!
Being open to change:
- One of the most important things you can do in your 20s is learning how to accept change. Of course, it’s inevitable: life is constantly changing and so are you.
- But what’s even more important than that is that accepting these changes as they happen makes you more mature and self-aware—and will make you happier too!
- A big part of being open to change involves accepting the fact that you may have no idea where your life will lead or what kind of person you’ll become. That uncertainty is scary, but it’s also exciting because something new could happen or someone special could come along at any moment—so why not be ready for anything?
Appreciating every single moment you have with your grandma and grandpa:
- You’re going to miss your grandparents when they pass. I promise.
- They have that wisdom that only time and experience can give, and it’s not something you get from your friends or even yourself. They are unique in their own way, and they will teach you things about life that no one else will ever be able to teach you.
- You won’t regret spending time with them while they’re still around; instead, you’ll regret not spending enough time with them when they were alive.
Realizing it’s okay to not be okay sometimes:
- It’s okay to not be okay sometimes.
- In your 20s, you are going to have problems. You will feel like a failure, or lonely and sad. You might get into an argument with your partner, or run into a friend from high school who still lives at home with their parents.
- You might be confused about what career path you want to take — or whether it’s even worth it for you to go back to school for another degree — when the thought of returning to school makes your chest ache just thinking about it.
- You will question yourself constantly: Am I good enough? Will people like me if they really knew me? Should I even get out of bed today?
- You’re going to have bad days and weeks where nothing seems right in the world (and this is not just because you’re in college), but don’t let that stop you from doing what makes YOU happy—even if other people don’t agree!
Traveling, discovering foreign countries:
- Traveling is a great way to learn about the world. It can be an eye-opening experience, as you are exposed to new people, cultures, and experiences.
- You will meet new friends who come from different backgrounds than you do, allowing you to expand your social circle and make connections with people who have similar values but may come from completely different places.
- Traveling can also help you to learn about yourself; it forces you out of your comfort zone and provides an opportunity for self-reflection that would not exist if you stayed home all day every day.
Learning new languages, even if it’s just a few phrases in it:
- Learning a new language can also be a great way to expand your horizons and make new friends. It’s easy to meet people who are passionate about languages, especially if you live in a city where there are lots of places from other countries.
- Learning a few phrases is enough to make most people want to talk with you and help you out, which can lead to some fun experiences!
- Learning a new language will also help you in your career because many companies are now looking for candidates who speak at least two languages well.
- You’ll gain access to more job opportunities if employers know that they can trust you with communication between cultures—and it could even help get an edge over other applicants who only speak one native tongue as their mother tongue!
- Finally, learning another language opens up possibilities for travel abroad: if there’s something that interests you specifically about another culture or country (food or history) then now’s the perfect time to try it out!
Finding something you truly love and going after it:
- You’re in your 20s—it’s a time for exploration, experimentation and growth. Your 20s are a unique opportunity to find yourself, which means doing things that you love and cultivating an authentic sense of self.
- In our experience, the best way to figure out what you love doing is by trying new things.
- Think about the activities that make you happy—are they physical? Intellectual? Creative? Socializing with other people or spending time alone? These are all areas where we can find satisfaction and fulfillment when we’re doing something we enjoy.
- The key is finding what works for YOU: different people have different preferences (and interests), but they also have plenty in common with one another.
- For example, no matter who you are as an individual person on planet Earth right now reading this article right now… if there’s even one thing that makes YOUR heart race every single time then I guarantee it’ll also be among the most rewarding things IN THE WORLD ever!
Fighting for causes you believe in:
- You can make a difference. You can help others in need and make the world a better place.
- Get involved with your community: join an organization, volunteer at an event, or start your own campaign to help those who need it most.
- Look around at all the people who have had an impact on your life—your family members, friends, teachers and coaches—and realize that they have been more than just people who cross paths with yours; they are someone’s daughter or son, mother or father, sister or brother. Who knows what kind of difference their presence in your life has made?
- Falling in love with the wrong person and learning from the experience:
- You will learn how to be more discerning in your love life. You’ll know when you are with the right person and you won’t settle for less.
- You’ll also learn how to handle rejection and heartbreak much better than if you hadn’t experienced it at all. You’ll understand that it’s not about YOU, it’s about them! That’s what makes this part of our lives so special! We get a chance to experience everything we need before we find our true soulmates or partners for life!
- You will also learn how to trust your gut feeling about people who come into your lives… even if they are related or close friends of yours! This may seem strange at first but trust me when I say that this is something worth learning sooner rather than later because once again… Your intuition is always right!!
Getting an education, whether it’s at a traditional college or not:
- You should still get an education. Whether it’s a traditional college degree or not, getting your hands on some learning materials is important.
- Not only does it help you to grow as a person and expand your horizons, but it will be useful in finding jobs in the future (even if most of them won’t require an actual degree).
- You should also learn from the mistakes people make around you. We all make mistakes throughout our lives and by observing others’ errors you are able to avoid making similar mistakes yourself.
- You should also learn from successes other people have had in their life—there’s no such thing as a perfect human being so why not use someone else’s success as inspiration for your own?
Getting out of your comfort zone every once in a while:
- It’s a good idea to get out of your comfort zone every now and then. Your 20s are the perfect time to do this! You’re young, energetic, and bold.
- Take risks! Try new things! Be adventurous! If you’re open to new experiences, you’ll find that they’re often more rewarding than sticking with what you know.
Embrace new experiences as much as you can:
- As a 20-something, you have a way of thinking that your life is all about the next step. But there’s something important to remember—life isn’t defined by the next thing, it’s defined by what we do with what happens to us in this very moment.
- That’s why it’s so important to embrace new experiences and stay open to people and places outside of our comfort zone.
- While some may be uncomfortable with trying new things, I think everyone should try at least one thing on their bucket list each year until they’re 30 years old (and then maybe every five years after that).
- There are plenty of reasons why it pays off to go out of your way for something new: You never know what you’ll learn or who you’ll meet; if nothing else, it will make your day more interesting than simply going through the same motions at work and home again.
Conclusion:
- The only way to do those things is by taking a risk and doing them. This can be scary, but it’s important. When you get out of your comfort zone and start doing new things, it helps you grow as a person and keeps life interesting! You don’t want to look back on your 20s with regrets because you didn’t take advantage of all the opportunities that came your way.