I’m 24 now and very happy about it. I’ve never been one of those people who shied away from getting older. I believe there’s beauty and elegance in aging.
Many don’t have the chance to grow older, and with age comes greater wisdom, courage, and hopefully more money (I don’t fancy being a broke 18-year-old again.)
The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve learned so much about the world, my friends, and, most importantly, myself.
This post will focus on the life-changing things I wish I knew before I turned 24 — the things that would’ve made my teens and early 20s more bearable. I hope you’ll learn something from these ideas and appreciate getting older too.
Table of Contents
1. Let go of the person you thought you’d be and embrace the person you are.
Everyone has expectations of themselves. When you were younger, you probably had an idea of how your life would look and the person you’d become.
But this version of you only exists in your head. The “real” you is the one reading this post — the one who exists today.
Stop setting up your “real self” and the version of you in your mind against each other. It’s a useless fight, and the real version of you will suffer greatly because she’ll never be stronger than the one in your mind.
Instead, embrace the person you are today and the person you’re slowly becoming.
2. Emotional intelligence is one of the most valuable traits to have.
Being emotionally intelligent means you understand and manage your emotions well.
For example, someone who has a grip on themselves in a confrontation. They understand that the other person’s anger might not have anything to do with them and everything to do with that person’s home situation. Hence, they don’t let the confrontation affect their mood and mindset.
Another example is somebody who doesn’t hold grudges. They get angry like the average person, but they cool off and apologize if need be. They don’t stew over the situation, and they also know that not everything is about them.
Being emotionally intelligent is so important, not just in your personal life but in your professional life, too. Unfortunately, it’s a trait that’s underestimated and barely spoken about.
3. It’s okay to let go of what doesn’t make you happy.
Holding onto what doesn’t make you happy, whether that’s a job, relationship, or friendship, only breeds resentment — for yourself and the other thing/person.
So, letting go for your own happiness isn’t selfish; it’s a loving deed that you do for yourself and everyone around you.
When you’re happy, you can easily share your happiness with others.
4. Don’t take your health for granted.
When I was younger, I’ll admit that I abused my body. I didn’t feed it the right things or exercise, and honestly, I barely even thought about my physical health.
Now that I’m older, I’m starting to see the negative results add up. Plus, after seeing older family members struggle with cancer, muscle pain, diabetes, and bone disorders, it’s easy to understand why they’re suffering — they didn’t prioritize their health when they were younger.
Your body is the most important thing in your life because you live your life in it every day. So, be grateful for it and make it stronger by changing your diet and exercise habits.
5. It’s okay to disagree with your parents.
As an only child to two Indian parents, growing up was tough. There are certain rules and conventions that I was made to believe and certain paths I’ve taken just to please them.
But I’m old enough to disagree with them now, and I’ve realized it’s okay if they don’t understand me.
Remember, our parents were born in a different era. So, it only makes sense that there’ll be significant differences of opinion. It shouldn’t make you love and respect them less.
6. Unrequited love doesn’t make you weak.
I used to think that loving someone who doesn’t love you back makes you pathetic and vulnerable — until I found myself in that situation.
I discovered my own strength and bravery, and I’m proud of myself for handling it so well.
7. It’s okay to fall out of love, leave a job, and be a “disappointment.”
Nobody wants to be a disappointment to society. That’s why we try to meet other’s expectations and sacrifice our happiness and peace of mind.
But that’s not cool. It’s your life to live, and if you need to resign from a job you hate or let go of a relationship that isn’t serving you, then so be it.
Create your own definitions of success and failure, and let everyone else gossip and judge you.
8. It’s okay to want to be alone.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting space to be alone. You’re not a freak, recluse, or hermit. It actually makes you an exceptionally powerful person because there aren’t many who possess the tolerance to be in their own company.
Moreover, as I’m moving into my late twenties, I no longer have the urge to be in a romantic relationship. According to society, it should be the other way around.
However, I’m enjoying my own space and developing a stronger relationship with myself.
Related Post: 9 Interesting Quiet Practices That Will Enrich Your Life
9. You will lose friends, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
I had friends I once thought I’d die for and vice versa, but now we barely communicate. I felt heartbroken until I realized there was nothing wrong with moving on from friendships.
Everyone evolves with time, and it’s normal to outgrow certain people.
Now, I see those friends as special people that I was meant to meet along my journey and who were sent to teach me something about myself.
10. It’s fine to dislike yourself on some days.
Self-love isn’t easy. It’s not about wearing face masks, lighting candles, or going on a shopping trip — it’s about accepting your flaws and having the courage to improve who you are.
This is, of course, the most difficult thing you’ll ever do. Therefore, it’s perfectly okay to dislike the journey some days.
11. It’s okay if society doesn’t understand you.
I used to feel defensive and angry if someone didn’t like something about me. I always had the urge to justify myself and my actions until I was blue in the face.
But it’s taken me years to understand that nobody else lives in my mind, heart, and soul — so, how could they possibly understand me?
12. It’s okay to be broke and not have a retirement annuity and credit cards in your 20s.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t be financially savvy — save and invest as much as possible. However, there seems to be competition with people in their mid-20s. Everyone’s on a warpath to have their financial life mapped out.
If you aren’t one of these people, you may feel like you’re not enough. But you have time to get your life settled, and what’s more important is enjoying every day as it comes and looking for new experiences (rather than accumulating cash for when you’re 60 years old.)
13. If you’re sad, that doesn’t mean you’re depressed.
Depression’s become sort of a trend amongst young people — I’m guilty of it, too.
If I’m having a bad day or feeling sad about something, I believe I’m depressed.
But being sad and depressed isn’t the same thing. Depression is a severe medical condition and isn’t something to be glamorized.
14. It’s okay to change your career.
Most of us chose our career paths at 16 — in high school. That’s too young to make such a huge life decision.
So, if you’re older and discover that you want to take a different route, there’s nothing shameful about that. Be brave and do what makes you happy.
15. What you believe in will manifest in your life.
If you believe in the law of attraction, you’ll see it play out in your life. If you believe in God, you’ll feel his divine touch every day. And if you believe that only hard work brings the best results, then you’ll bust your ass working.
Likewise, if you believe you’re unlucky, that’s what you’ll manifest. If you believe you’re lazy and unproductive, you’ll never get off the couch to do something meaningful.
Change your beliefs to change your life.
16. It’s not okay to let another person disrupt your peace of mind.
In the year 2021, I let a guy take over my mind 24/7. He captured my sleep and every waking minute, and I didn’t feel like myself anymore.
I called it love, but it was an unhealthy infatuation with a narcissist. He wasn’t right for me because if he were, I wouldn’t have felt so much self-doubt and restlessness.
The right person for you will never take away your peace and make you feel weak. Instead, you’ll feel content about your relationship, and they’ll help you become a better version of yourself.
17. Challenges grow you into the person you were meant to be.
Every time I had a significant problem, I wanted to crawl under my covers and die. But instead, I showed up and faced them the best I could.
Challenges and problems will always make you a better person.
18. Everyone’s on their own quest, so stop being judgemental.
People have different priorities, desires, and experiences. That doesn’t mean they’re wrong, and neither are you.
Accept everyone’s life decisions and focus on your own life.
19. You are exactly where you were meant to be.
The universe operates on divine timing. So, stop comparing your journey to somebody else’s.
Be happy for others when you see them succeed, and stop feeling like you’re the only one stuck in place. If you’re focused on your goals, working hard, and believing in yourself, you will achieve what you want to.
20. Successful people do the things unsuccessful people aren’t willing to do.
The people who succeed take risks. They aren’t afraid of failure, moving forward, and trying new things.
Watch this inspiring video by Mark Manson, where he does a deep dive into this topic.
21. Master your mornings, and you’ll master your life.
It took me 24 years to learn the importance of waking up early. Before, I slept at 4 a.m. and woke up at noon. Everything failed — from my yoga routine, productivity, gut health, and writing routine.
Related Post: How to Simplify Your Morning Routine for a Happier, Healthier You
22. Studying yourself might be the scariest and most important thing you’ll ever do.
I’ve always been terrified of exams, but the scariest thing I’ve learned is myself.
By “studying yourself,” I mean understanding why you do certain things, your flaws, your good qualities, and how childhood traumas affect you.
It’s scary, but you have to do it if you want to heal from past traumas and become a better person.
23. Don’t sit and plan — you’ll be stuck there forever.
I was a compulsive planner, and I got nothing done. Planning fed my need to be productive and gave me an ego boost.
But I learned that if you don’t take action, then your plan is useless. It’s better not to have a plan and move forward anyway.
24. It’s okay if you don’t have everything figured out yet.
I’m getting older, and according to society’s standards, I’m supposed to have everything figured out. However, I’m far from there.
And I’m thankful for that because only in uncertainty can you discover and grow.
People who think they’ve got it all together are the most narrow-minded and closed off to opportunities.
There are many more life-changing things for us to learn as we grow older — this post doesn’t even cover most of it.
Final Thoughts
This post took me 24 years to write. I hope it provided you with some life nuggets, and you’ll learn from some of my learnings.
Whether you’re celebrating a birthday soon or not, I encourage you to also reflect on the big life-changing things you learned so far.
Other posts you might like:
- 25 Things to Be Grateful for In Your Life Instead of Complaining
- 13 Ideas I’m Letting Go of As I Turn 26