10 Things I Would Tell My 20 Year Old Self

I learned so many lessons during my life, especially now that I am in my mid-30’s that I wished I knew when I was in my 20’s. In this post, I’ll share some of those lessons that hopefully you can relate to or, if you’re in your 20’s you can learn from.

Don’t Get Caught Up In Men

Ah yes, the men factor was everything in my 20’s. I spent my early 20’s bouncing around from one dead-end date to another. My self-worth was wrapped up in getting a man’s approval instead of approving of myself. 

The biggest lesson is that men will come and go, but your 20’s are a time to explore and find out who you are. None of the men that I dated or had a long-term relationship with are in my life today because they weren’t aligned with where I want to go with my life. 

It’s fine to date around but don’t put all of your heart and energy into one person or change who you are for a man…ever! 

Save Money

One of the many regrets of my 20’s is that I didn’t take budgeting and saving money for my future seriously. I could’ve had thousands of dollars put away to purchase a home or saved for emergencies. Learn as much as you can about finances and investing. 

You will thank me when your in your 30’s and you are financially secure.

Credit Cards & Student Loans Are The Devil!

Credit cards and student loans are the devil!!!! The one lesson I can pass on to women in their 20’s is not to use credit cards and limit the number of student loans they have. Apply for every scholarship that you qualify for and get through school as fast as you can. 

I graduated from college in 2008 when the housing market and economy crashed. Many of us graduates couldn’t find a job got years, and our student loan debt continued to increase. Start making payments in your student loans while you’re in school and pay them off as soon as possible.

Switch Jobs More Often

Changing jobs is a necessary part of growing in your career. I’m not saying changing jobs every six months is a good idea because I’ve seen so many young people know who constantly change jobs, and I see it as a negative sign when I’m looking at someone’s resume. 

Find a job and stay there for at least two years and either switch jobs or advance your career at your current job. 

Personally, I stayed at my job for too long. I was there for twelve years before I made the switch. I advanced into a management position, but trying different fields or positions would have helped in professional development. 

Travel The World

Remember that money that you were saving? Use some of that money to travel the world. If you have a chance to study abroad for a semester, do it! The world is so much bigger than your city or college. You can travel the world and meet people from different cultures that can teach you more about life than what you’ll learn in a classroom.

Love Yourself

Self-love is the most important thing that you’ll ever learn. Loving yourself will keep you out of bad relationships, poor choices and keep you moving forward to success. Having positive self-esteem and self-love will help you when times are tough and encourage you to keep going.

Invest time for self-care and personal development. I wish that I learned about positive affirmations when I was in my 20’s because I would be a stronger person and wouldn’t have spent years frozen in fear. Loving yourself is everything! 

Make Your Dreams Come True

When you are in your 20’s you have endless energy, and that’s a great time to set some big goals and go after your dreams! Anything is possible, and there are countless stories of young people trying successfully business in their 20’s and a millionaire by the time they turned 30. 

This is when you don’t have many responsibilities and can do anything at the drop of a hat.

Embrace Health & Nutrition 

Developing good habits in nutrition and fitness is a must in your 20’s. It will make life so much easier when you learn how to take care of your body at an early age. Treat your body like gold now, and it will repay you tenfold in your 30’s.

College Isn’t Everything 

I’m sure a lot of people will disagree with this, but college isn’t everything. In my time, having a Masters’s degree was encouraged to get a higher paying job and stand out amongst applicants’ competitive field.

Unfortunately for me, it didn’t matter if I had a master’s degree. Time after time, I was told that I didn’t have enough experience. So, my thousands of dollars worth of education didn’t matter as much as hands-on experience.

Having a college education is great but make sure to get real-world experience through internships or jobs.

Surround Yourself With Positive People

Surround yourself with positive, goal-oriented people who will support you and hold you accountable. It is said that you are the sum of five people that you surround yourself with. If you find yourself with negative, unmotivated people, you will less likely be successful. Eliminate any negative relationships and all emotional vampires. The less distraction and drama you have in your life, the happier you will be.

There you have it! 10 Things I Would TelI My 20-Year-Old Self. If you enjoyed this blog check out my latest article 8 Lessons I Learned In 2020!