Take a look around you right now. Put the phone down for a moment, turn away from your laptop, and breathe in your surroundings. Absorb the whitewashed walls, the scent of coffee wafting through the cafe, or the rickey sound of subway rails. It’s okay, take a moment, I’ll wait.
You, my friend, are looking at the prime of your life. Right now, you are the most physically in-shape you will ever be. In addition to having the least amount of responsibility you will ever have, you also have most amount of freedom. How do you want to spend these years?
The good news is, right now, you have nothing but time. You have an infinite present to explore every facet of life, take up interests, and push your life in the direction you want it to go. While you can still party and have fun being wild and reckless, you should also sit down quietly and mediate on who you want to be. Forty-year-old you will thank you for it.
1. Start reading regularly
The industrial revolution came and went with the ebb and flow of history, but it left in its wake a new era: the intellectual revolution. Nerd is the new cool. Having a well-cultivated taste in literature makes you interesting and holding an ideological conversation makes somebody worth talking to. It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to get through a book, as long as you read a little each week.
2. Stop dating unworthy, d-bags
If your relationship feels like a Taylor Swift music video, you should probably ditch the unsavory dude. When you’re in a tumultuous relationship it feels magical. There are the highs that top Mount Everest, but similarly lows that leave you in the depths of hell. Your life feels like a movie and it makes you think love is a drug. Mature, adult relationships are stable though and if your significant other makes you feel like you’re on a roller coster, step off the ride and tell them that you are never, ever getting back together…like ever.
3. Learn how to become financially independent
Financial independence is really hard. I should know–I’m paying my own rent for the first time and it’s painful. However, it’s equally rewarding to know that I’m relying on nobody but myself. When you handle your money responsibly, and take it into your own hands, you become more confident, which affects you in other area of life. Yes, you have to skimp on certain material items and possibly give up going out with friends every so often, but handling your finances well makes you feel like a million bucks (metaphorically).
4. Take pride in your living space
Make your bed, do the dishes, and clean up after yourself. Try hanging a few strings of Christmas lights in your bedroom and decorating the place with candles (just don’t burn it down). You’ll feel better coming home to a tranquil environment at the end of the day, especially when it’s one that you want to be in.
5. Keep up with current events
You don’t have to be like my Dad (an angry, white guy who’s hooked up to the news like it’s life support) but have a general understanding of current events issues. It’s cool to take a stand on issues involving gun control or the upcoming election. Just make sure you understand the issues enough to discuss them and try not to get into any brawls.
6. Figure out your beliefs
Don’t coast through life having the same beliefs your parents drilled into you. Question everything and develop substantial beliefs in where you came from (literally, how did the atoms in your body come into being and who put them there?). If atheism is appealing to you, read up on atheist philosophers and understand their point of view. If you maintain interest in the religion you grew up with, don’t be afraid to question it and understand why you believe what you do.
7. Develop a relationship with a Professor (no, not that kind of relationship)
If you are still in college, take an interest in a professor. Ask questions, sit in the front, show them you like their class. Not only are they experts in the field you are going into, they probably worked in that field. You’d be surprised by the connections some of them have–not to mention they’re incredibly smart. Not only will they help you professionally, they’ve probably been in your shoes and will make a great mentor.
8. Sit down and seriously ask yourself, “what am I doing with my life?”
Try developing a five-year plan. If you coast through life unsure of what you want to do, you’ll end up letting the world tell you what to do. Learn about yourself, find out what makes you happy, and go for it. This might mean taking night classes at community college or moving to another state. But, life is going to be hard no matter what you decide to pursue. Every choice comes with its challenges. You’re going to have to work at it either way, so you might as well work toward something worth doing.
9. Step out of your comfort zone at least once a week
Author Neale Donald Walsch said, “life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” Don’t spend all day, everyday walking within the confines of your routine. Step out and push the boundary. Join meetup.com and become a part of a hiking group. Volunteer at a local soup kitchen. If you see an attractive stranger, strike up a conversation (in a non-creepy way). The worst they can do is reject you, and you’d be surprised how good rejection can be for your ego.
10. Look at the stars
[Feature Image Credit: Nathan O’Nions]
10 Things You Should Start Doing in your Twenties is a post from: LifeDaily