23 Things I’ve Learned In 23 Years

My birthday was a couple of weeks ago, which makes me 23 years old. Twenty-three. The era of nobody liking me, according to that one song. I’m now closer to 25 than I am to 20.

Despite its downsides, 22 was truly a great year for me. I graduated college. I discovered that I do like eggs over easy. I cut off about six inches of hair. I got a job, moved into an apartment, started my own blog. I experienced so much at 22 – every emotion on the spectrum; the good, the bad, the ugly, and the wonderful.

In attempt to share whatever amount of wisdom I’ve managed to gain during my 23 years on this fine Earth, I’ve compiled a list of 23 things I’ve learned so far. Still, I know I’ll forget them from time to time, and I know I still have a thousand more to go.

1.

You are your biggest critic. Cut yourself some slack. Everything is okay.

2.

Say yes more. It’ll prevent those I never do anything fun and My life is too boring feelings. Even if things turn sour, at least you’ll have a story to tell.

3.

Don’t take texting too seriously.

4.

Remember that you don’t know everything about a person’s life. Everyone has their own battles. Don’t jump to conclusions. Be sensitive.

5.

Scream-singing alone in your car can fix a lot of things. So can a long shower.

6.

Sometimes you need to let go in order to be happy. Not necessarily forgive or agree, but accept that you can’t do anything about it. Move on.

7.

You are capable of so much more than you think you are.

8.

Some things aren’t worth getting upset over. Pick your battles. Don’t ruin something good over something that will be irrelevant in an hour.

9.

Your friends will talk about you and get annoyed with you. It doesn’t mean that they don’t care about you.

10.

Things are cool, but experiences are cooler. Spend your money wisely. (But treat yourself sometimes too.)

11.

Sometimes good people do bad things. You can’t expect a person to be anything more than just a person.

12.

You have to work for what you want. Both big and small, nothing is going to change unless you take action. Happiness is in your hands.

13.

Different doesn’t mean better or worse. It means different.

14.

You don’t have to please everyone. And don’t try so hard to do so, because people will notice, and it’s awkward. Say no when you have to. Take care of yourself.

15.

Surround yourself with people who build you up and make you want to be better.

16.

Keep at least $200 in your savings account for emergencies.

17.

If you feel like something needs to be said, say it. It’s better to go that route than to let things eat away at your mind.

18.

There is always more to learn. You will never know everything, and you are never done growing.

19.

Stand up for yourself. The way you let others treat you reflects how you view yourself. Be strong. Don’t let people treat you like garbage.

20.

Compliment others at least three times a day. It feels nice to be nice.

21.

Make sure that the important people in your life know that they are important. Make sacrifices for them, check in on them. Don’t take people for granted; they won’t always be around.

22.

Accept that sometimes bad things happen for no reason at all. You can’t help it. All you can do is keep the ball rolling.

23.

Take things a day at a time. Don’t stress about the future or how things will turn out years down the road. Focus on the now.