Sometimes life hits you at a younger age, or some of us don’t fully comprehend life until reality strikes. I was blessed with my first baby at 18. Did I know anything about life? Heck no. Back then I would’ve said I knew it all. I’m only 22, but here’s some lessons I wish I would’ve known before my 20’s.
Live life to the fullest.
Life is short, forgive and forget. Try new things, make new friends, do what makes you happy, and don’t take anything for granted. Learn from your mistakes, so you don’t repeat them again. BE KIND.
Your education matters.
There’s a reason the older people will tell us not to make the same mistake. Trust me, I hated school too. I dropped out too, and I also got my GED. I would change my decision over and over again, if I could’ve went back. Once you drop out, you don’t get a choice to go back to school.. Stay at school with your friends, go to prom, soak it all in… I still miss the school feelings, the smell of the school, all the things I’ll never get to experience again.
The world is cruel.
You are gonna make some mistakes, but try not to lose sight of reality. Stay true to yourself. Don’t let negativity or a bad day bring you down, three years from now you’ll look back and laugh. Bad things happen, whether it be in our society, or personal problems. Go through the motions, remember not everyone is meant for YOU. BE KIND.
Your friend circle will shrink as you age.
If you would’ve told me 10 years ago that my best friends wouldn’t be my friends today, I would have laughed straight in your face, and so would they. Even the best of friends can fade apart. We grow up, some of us may have kids, some may not. Regardless, people go different ways. We grow up, work, and start a family. The friends you keep, are the ones worth keeping.
Having people you can rely on is important.
There is hardly anything that beats having true friends. People you know will always be there, in good and bad times. People who check on you and love you. Appreciate the people in your life who are there for you.
People grow apart.
Chances are you’ll probably only stay in touch with a few of the friends you swore you’d always hold close. As you get older, you meet new people, your priorities change, and you might only message a yearly “Happy Birthday” to some of your closest friends from childhood.
Heartbreak, lots of it.
It’s inevitable. None of us are immune to it, feelings or heartbreak, just some are better at hiding it. You’ll probably experience some heartbreak, maybe even more than once. It may be family, friends, or your relationship. Don’t let this break you, Life goes on.
People die.
Along with heartbreak, people die. As we age, people will die around us. Its always heartbreaking to get the news. Family and friends might pass away. Unfortunately, there’s usually nothing we can do about it. We just learn to live and learn, we find a way to live around it.
People are not irreplaceable.
You may find some of your best friends in your 20s. They may share more common interests, life goals, etc. Remember, people can be replaced. Friends, boyfriends, sometimes even family members that aren’t good for you. Stay strong, and meet new people. You may even find better, hehe.
You have to work to get what you want.
Life isn’t handed to you, some people come from a well-off family. The reality is, you have to work for what you want in life. It doesn’t just come to you. Unless you’re dream job magically shows up without chasing it. A dream cannot chase itself.
Sleep is important.
As a child we take for granted the sleep we get. Then we have to wake up and go to school, work, and become adults. As a mom of two boys, I need as much sleep as I can get. Your sleep can affect your mood and so much more. Sleep it off. Sleep, sleep, sleep.
Its ok to be selfish.
Put yourself first, always. Learn to say “no”. Don’t let people talk advantage of you and learn when you’ve done enough. Its not selfish to put yourself first, its selfish for them to keep taking advantage of your kindness.
Things change when you have a baby.
Seriously, it does. Part of the reason you lose friends. You can’t sleep or hang out when you want. The friends who remain are the true friends. Usually its pretty obvious, but it still hurts. The ones who don’t show up to your party or baby shower. They won’t be at the birthday parties either. You’ll meet new mom friends or you’ll remain friends with your friends with kids. Life goes on.
You live and you learn, but some of these I wish I would’ve known.
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