5 Life Lessons from an Almost-30 Year Old

The last year of your twenties is a funny year. You finally have a sense of direction that you didn’t have before, your finances are finally starting to look up, and navigating the world is so much easier than it was a decade ago. Personally, I’ve found that I’ve become softer, kinder, more compassionate, and more assertive. I value love, family, achievement, and helping others. I’m a long cry from who I was at at the start of my roaring twenties. Here are some of the life lessons I’ve learned that have helped me grow:

1. Health is Truly Wealth I’ve always worked out regularly, but I didn’t start taking my health seriously until a couple of years ago. With some health scares along the way, I’ve learned that very little matters if you aren’t healthy. There is no point in stressing yourself out about things that won’t matter if you’re dead. Health & fitness should be a habit like brushing your teeth or drinking your morning coffee. It is THAT important and should be treated as such. I’ve gained and lost a significant amount of weight over the years, and the quality of life difference is so drastic. Take your health seriously. 2. Invest Early Ten years ago, I invested my student loan refund into a company that is very well-known today. Except, a couple months later, I was broke and took the money back out. I’ve done the calculations, and I’d be flat out rich had I left that money alone. You can bet I am kicking myself over that. I started seriously investing about 2 years ago and the gains are so good, I can only imagine what they’d be if I’d started 10 years ago. Do yourself a favor and start investing as early as possible. Act like that money doesn’t even exist anymore and leave it alone.

3. You Can’t Kill Someone with Kindness If someone is mistreating you, you need to address it. They will not stop just because you plaster on a fake smile and compliment them. Be assertive & do not let anyone walk all over you. 4. Develop Your Hobbies There’s far more to life than going to work and going home for the next 30 years. If there’s something that makes you happy, pursue it with all you’ve got. I like to travel. I’ve traveled as much as possible over the past decade and it’s made my life more exciting and worth living. Don’t fall into the trap of doing the exact same thing everyday and calling it a life.

5. Maintain Your Connections Relationships are important. I wish I were still close with my friends & family from back home, but unfortunately we started to grow apart the moment I moved away. Today, I find myself working to rebuild those connections. Just don’t let yourself get there by remembering the importance of family & friendship. No matter how busy you get, make some time for your loved ones