- Not everyone is inherently good. But treat them as such. Some people may surprise you.
- You can’t physically run away from your problems. That’s just a temporary fix. They’ll catch up to you and you’ll end up where you started. Face them.
- Notice how good it feels to make others feel good. And you’ll be going out of your way to do it more. Over time you’ll just be doing it because… it’s your instinct.
- If your gut is telling you something about a situation, trust it. You’re better safe than sorry, and there’s a good chance you’re right.
- Be open to doing things you don’t necessarily love, but that your loved ones love. You may start to love them too. Or maybe you’ll just love how happy it makes them.
- Apologize. Even when your pride tries to hold you back. Own your faults and people will appreciate the effort you put in to make amends. Even if they don’t, you’ll know you did all you could.
- Love all living things wholly. Let your dog sleep in your bed. Catch the spider and set it free rather than squashing it. You’ll feel different.
- Recognize when little things are going well for you. Not just when they aren’t.
- Don’t assume things about people based on their words or actions… you don’t have the power to project your thoughts onto others and have them suddenly become true. Don’t let yourself think you do.
- Taking time off to take a step back is okay. Your life doesn’t need to fall into a specific timeline of events. Slow down. Travel or move or get a new job… experience things. There isn’t a certain order for how life is supposed to happen. Live yours your way, and let others live theirs.
- Be careful with your word choices. Lashing out negatively to a loved one once might take 100 expressions of positivity to bandage over. Know the power your words carry.
- If something makes someone happy and it has no affect on you, let them be. You have your own direction to focus on. None of us are perfect, and to project onto others how you think they should live, implies that you yourself are. Mind your business.
- Nothing in life is every going to be perfectly fair. You can compare looks or lifestyles but you’ll get nowhere. Appreciate what you have and you’ll become more aware of other good things around you you might have overlooked.
- Social media isn’t real. A snapshot of someones life that is edited and changed and posed… it’s all for show. Don’t let it fool you. Don’t make comparisons.
- Your parents aren’t superheroes. Though that might be hard to come to terms with. They’re just people with feelings and faults and skeletons in their closets like everyone else. But most of the time, they’re trying their best. Have realistic expectations, but give credit where its due.
- You’re not going to be good at everything. You may get a math tutor and spend hours studying and still fail. That doesn’t make you stupid and that doesn’t mean you’re bad at everything. Accept your weaknesses, work on them, and appreciate your strengths.
- You will have friends for different aspects of your life. Friends who are fun to party with. Friends you can have philosophical conversations with. Friends you can confide in. Friends you are friends with out of common interests. Friends you are friends with just because you’ve known each other since you were 5. Understand that people will fall into different categories and arrange your expectations accordingly. But also know that the lines can blur and people can evolve.
- Take care of yourself. Take baths and long walks and drink green tea before bed. Wash your makeup off before you sleep. And enjoy those small experiences. When you make a point to, they are far more advantageous.
- Don’t just agree with people because it’s easier. Share your opinions. Have deeper conversations. I guarantee you will be seen as far more genuine.
- Take the time to express your feelings for others. Make sure your friends know you appreciate them. Your family that you love them. You never know.
- Whenever you meet someone new, go into it with an open mind. Be open to new friends and relationships. Just because you have some good friends already doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give someone else a chance.
- Don’t do things because you feel like you’re supposed to. If you don’t like alcohol, don’t drink. If you don’t want to smoke weed, you don’t need to. Don’t fall into that pressure. You’ll find others who feel the same way.
- Don’t dwell on the past. There is absolutely nothing you can do to change things. Just do everything you can in the present to try to have no regrets, but you will anyway. Thats a part of life. And thats okay. That’s how we become the newest versions of ourselves, because we are ever changing. Embrace that and look ahead.
23 things I’ve learned in 23 years
twentysandtrying.com 