Life in your twenties

As a 22 year old I believe your twenties is the most important decade of your life,  every decision you make during these years either good or bad can impact the rest of your life and once you are older (let's say in your 30's or 40's) it might be almost impossible to reinvent yourself. I get it your twenties can be confusing; this is the only time in your life where there is contradiction of people telling you to "grow up" yet also "you are only young, enjoy yourself". The honest truth is in your twenties you are old enough to have a vision and life goals.  This is  the time to rediscover yourself and to focus on the meaning of your existence. These are a few things I think you should do that your future self will thank you for:

1. Live for the moment

Yes it is important to plan of the future , however do not get carried away with this

 idea to a point where you forget to live. Today is the youngest you will ever be, enjoy life and make sure that you will never have regrets in life. I once read "Life unfolds in the present, but so often we let the present slip away allowing time to rush past unobserved and unseized and squandering the precious seconds of our lives as we worry about the future and ruminate what's past". Live everyday to its greatest potential and enjoy every moment like there is no tomorrow.

2. Do not let fear control your life 

Whether it's fear of rejection, failure etc. Do not let this get in your way, move to that new city, apply for that job. What's the worst that could happen? Yes you are rejected however you gain interview experience which helps you prepare for the more to come interviews.  Personally I was scarred from a past relationship and my guard was up for a very long time but then I thought I don't want to be that 50 year old never been married aunty with no children ha (Or a Bridget Jones).  The truth is people will hurt you and live happily ever after so the best thing you can do for yourself is to move on. The good thing about being in your twenties is you can mess up and things might not go according to plan but you are most likely to get more opportunities. So take the risks and don't let the fear consume your life.

3. Do not compare yourself to anyone else

I am starting my mental health nursing course at 22 whereas someone out there same age as me has just graduated with their degree in the course. Trust the timing of your life, everyone is moving at their own pace so there is no need to compare yourself with others. Set yourself goals, stay focused, work hard and remember you are in your own race. "Comparison puts focus on the wrong person..when we constantly compare ourselves to others waste precious energy on other peoples' lives rather than our own".

4. Do not hesitate to leave bad situations

Work, friendships, relationships etc. I can't stress enough the importance of mental health with this one.  Sometimes we fear we are making the "wrong decision" by leaving or maybe we are just too comfortable and we think we won't find something better. This the right time to leave, once you get stuck in the situation it will start affecting your mental state and as I mentioned before you are young; plenty more opportunities will come, you will meet new people etc. whereas by staying in the situation you won't be able to give these new opportunities a chance. Leave and don't forget to take the lesson with you.

5. Choose your company wisely

The company you keep will either water your roots or pluck you therefore choose your friends wisely. If you are someone who is easily influenced by the people who you hang out with then I suggest you pick a different group of people. As we grow older it is important to weed out people who don't help us grow and that is okay, it is also okay to have a smaller circle of friends..quality over quantity. If your friends aren't elevating you and supporting you to be a better version of yourself are they really your friends?

6. Learn to enjoy your own company

Your twenties can be a lonely time, you have less of a social life due to work, school, being tired in general etc.  I value my alone time more than anything nowadays because I'm surrounded by people majority of the time and this can be draining at times. Use this time to discover more things about yourself and doing things of your own interest.

7.  Travel 

I don't mean a week holiday to Ibiza with the lads binge drinking day and night! Your twenties are probably the only times you are old enough and independent to pick a destination and just go (most cases no kids and big responsibilities e.g mortgage and bills). Go and see the world! get to experience different cultures, way of living and learn to be comfortable outside your comfort zone. Engage with the locals and learn different languages. The ability to communicate with people from different backgrounds is very handy in this day and age as it can create a lot of opportunities. Travelling is also something you can look back in the future and be proud of, the memories from the experience will last you a lifetime.

                                                        -Rue xx