Daily Dose of Design: 9 Things Every 20-Something Should Do

Monday, September 11, 2017

9 Things Every 20-Something Should Do


As of last week, I'm 23! Last Thursday was my birthday and it was a super fun day (I've taken some major time off - more on that later - but thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday! XO). It's sort of hard to believe though, and I NEVER feel that way about my age. And I don't have to sit here and tell you how fast time seems to move because that isn't any secret. That being said, I try and set attainable goals for myself and things I want to do and accomplish each year, but the key word here is attainable. I'm pretty sure the majority of us often set unrealistic goals for ourselves, so instead of coming up with things to do in a specific short amount of time, here's some things that every 20-something should know, know how to do and learn - all throughout your 20's. ;)

Take time to take vacations. We're only this young once, and now is THE best time to travel the world as we see fit. I know I'm not alone when I say that traveling and seeing as much of this beautiful world is at the top of my bucket list, and in the words of my smart mamma, these young years of our lives only come once and we should take full advantage of it! Take advantage of your vacation days from work, your summers and any chance you get. Materialistic items are fun to own, but they won't provide you with the experiences that your travels will.

I know how expensive traveling can be but it really doesn't have to be. Consider starting a travel fund; since implementing these (actually very) simple things, I've been able to save a LOT and begin planning some dream trips! If you have a travel bug too, I highly recommend starting some sort of travel fund, no matter how small it starts off.

Think about the choices you're making. We're adults now, and every choice we make affects us in one way or another. It may be how we learn, but ain't nobody got time for making mistakes that could have EASILY been avoided by stopping and thinking for a quick second. ;) Pay attention to your spending habits, your activities, what you put out there on the internet; think about your responsibilities and be cautious. Pay a little bit more attention to your actions and the choices you make, and you'll see a difference.

Live alone. Some people love it, some hate it and some are nervous to live alone. I'm the nervous one over here, raising my hand! But it IS a great experience and it teaches you to be independent and learn so, so, SO much about yourself. From managing your money to growing as a person and really being the adult that you are. Even if it's for a few months, it's worth it. And definitely on my list!

Learn to love yourself. This is easier said than done, and definitely something I need to take my own advice on and learn to do. These are some of the best, yet hardest years of our lives (and we thought being teenagers was hard!). My friends and I are all in such different stages of our lives - I have friends who are having babies, friends who are getting married, friends who are still in college - I could go on and on about just how different we all are and the different life stages we're all in. Knowing where you are in your life is important, especially so with the comparison game we ALL know that we play in our minds.

Loving yourself and learning to have self esteem is what our 20's are all about - we're not teenagers anymore, and we can grow out of those shells and into the self-serving, independent young adults we're all meant to be.

Know when to shut up, listen and learn. Pretty self explanatory.

Accept that things won't happen exactly how you've planned them. You likely have a plan - whether it's a life plan, a year plan or even a generic idea of what you want. I hate to burst any bubbles, but these plans will likely have kinks in them. They'll change, you'll change and honestly it can often be a huge blessing in disguise. Everything that's meant to happen will happen and the sooner that you accept that your plan will likely change, the better off you'll be.

At first, I learned this the hard way. Now I know that I'm better off meeting every experience, challenge and opportunity head on and with an opened mind.

Really take care of your skin. We'll thank ourselves come the big 3-0! Find a skincare routine you LOVE, and do it religiously. Day and night, 7 days a week. I talk a lot about my skincare favorites and products I try and love - find what you need and like, and make a routine that works for you. Aiming to look 23 when I'm in my 40's over here! ;)

Build your network. Professionally and personally. Make connections - get out there and do things you may not have done a year ago. Your job likely depends on it both present and future, and friendship building is crucial, that's no secret!

Do something(s) out of your comfort zone. Don't do the predictable - step out of your comfort zone, be brave and do something you never could have pictured doing at this time last year, two years ago, etc. I've been doing this more and man it is SCARY. It's uncomfortable and seems like a stupid thing to do, making yourself feel this way. But once you're out of that zone (quite literally), you feel SO DAMN GOOD. Try making a list of things that make you cringe when you think about doing them, get everything written down so you can visually see what scares you and what's out of your comfort zone. Then, try and figure out why they make you feel this way. Writing things down and getting it out there helps more than you'd think!

We're only this young once, so live it up and use this learning period in your life to your advantage!
XOXO -A

28 comments:

  1. This is a great list. I really wish I had been able to talk my husband into traveling more when we were young.

    Even though I tend to be nervous, living alone in a "safe" apartment building isn't so bad. I had my own apartment (in a house) when I was 21 and I never really was scared. I did have a dog though.

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  2. I lived alone this summer and I LOVED it! I can't wait to graduate and do it again (hopefully!)
    Great list, girly!

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  3. This is such an amazing post! I really enjoyed it!

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  4. so true, networking is essential!
    xo, hannah
    hannahwithacamera.com

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  5. This is so amazing!!! I really so badly want to live alone!! :)

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  6. These are great tips, and show how mature you are! Happy belated birthday!

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  7. I lived alone for a year and it was the BEST thing ever!! I'm so glad I did it.

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  8. Such awesome ideas for 20-somethings - skincare is seriously so important!

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  9. Great list! Travelling is definitely something I hope to do a lot in my 20's - I turned 21 this year and just started a travel fund! I'm also a huge believer of a good skincare routine!

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  10. I loved living alone before my husband and I got engaged. Traveling is a huge priority for me and I'm trying to do as much of it as possible while I'm young. Love this post.

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  11. I tried to travel/take holiday time this year, but I failed miserably. I love travelling, visiting new places and meet new people from different cultures.

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  12. Great list! (Especially travel and taking care of your skin...)

    Speaking from the end of my 20s (sigh) I'd say SAVE MONEY LIKE CRAZY. Quit the daily Starbucks habit, no you don't need that top, and don't splurge going out for meals too often... the easiest time to save and spend is your 20s... you should save!

    Xxox
    Laura @ www.cookwineandthinker.com

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  13. These are so great!! Stepping outside of your comfort zone is so important! And traveling, yes! And I can't tell you how many times I have neglected my skin and never taken off my makeup until my mom got me a nice toner, moisturizer, and eye cream on my 26th bday. Now I do those things every night/day and love the routine aspect of it, too!

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  14. This is such a good list! Traveling is so important! It allows you to learn, experience new things, meet new people. I love traveling and squeeze it in when I can.

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  15. I would to live alone. But I get scared so easily hahaha. Every noise for me means something bad. This is a great list! I'm working on my skin routine right now and I love doing it!

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  16. Using your twenties to learn and explore is absolutely what should be happening. Many people rush through this time without fully experiencing it.

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  17. I totally agree! We're not little kids anymore, everything we choose to do has an impact. Great post!

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  18. Happy birthday! I wholeheartedly agree with #1, I wish I had traveled more in my twenties. Also, it's never too early to start on a good skincare regimen!

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  19. So true! This has been a year of "accept that things don't always go as planned" type of year!

    xo, Leanna
    www.ChangeWithUsBlog.com

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  20. Yes yes yes to everything on this list! I definitely want to live alone at some point, but for now me and my best friend have plans to live together for a while! We'll see what happens though!

    xo
    Sami
    The Classic Brunette

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  21. Yes to this! I've actually never lived a lone and have always lived with a minimum of 3 people so I'm actually excited to try my hand at living alone!

    xoxo
    Amy

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  22. "Know when to shut up, listen, and learn." Say it again for the folks in the back!!

    Coming Up Roses

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  23. These are all excellent things to experience - especially living alone!

    xo Deborah
    Coffee, Prose, and Pretty Clothes

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  24. I haven't shopped at target for clothes in so long that I almost forgot that they sell clothes. Thanks for the reminder

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  25. I've been really trying to take care of my skin lately! I'm also dying to travel more! Grad school makes it a bit hard to travel right now but I'm excited to get to more places once I'm done.

    Kayla | kaylablogs.com

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