It may be hard to admit but your 20s are over. It’s a tough pill to swallow and one you can’t avoid. Below are some friendly tips to help tackle your new goals.
1. Save For Retirement
I personally spent my 20s recklessly spending money as soon as I earned it, which is fine. Your 20s are meant for living in the moment and you’re probably going to do just about the same in your 30s but at the very least try to keep an eye on your financial goals. You can still go backpacking across the country if that’s your heart’s desire but maybe cut back on the weekly manicure, pedicure, and blowouts. Instead, put that money to work by investing it in your 401 k and/or Roth IRA account. Make it your mission to put aside at least a few hundred dollars every month. It may not seem like much, but you’ll quickly understand and come to find the beauty behind compound interest.
2. Your Health
You probably consumed way too much fast food, slacked off on your daily workouts and to be fair, you most certainly could get away with that behavior. I’m sorry to tell you, but that kind of behavior can only be tolerated up until a certain point without noticing a difference in your appearance. Gone are the days of having a fast metabolism. Now is the time to cut back, watch what you consume, and work out at least three times a week.
3. Your True Friends Will Be Revealed
Your life is going to pick up. You might enter into a serious relationship, and you may terminate one. You might just have one of the most successful careers and sadly have a family crisis here and there. Pay close attention to how your friends react to all of it. This will be when you realize who you’ll be left with. It will most probably be just a handful hardcore great group of friends. Pay no attention to how many because the deep love and admiration you’ll have for one another will last a lifetime.
4. Fake It Till You Make It
This is probably one piece of advice that’s never failed. Every time I was ready to change gears in my career, I was always asked how I wanted to obtain this new mission when I lacked experience. I quite literally pretended I knew what I was doing when I absolutely did not. Guess what? Most people are doing just about the same, and to be completely honest it works. The same can be said even if you’re hitting a rocky road in your life. Smile, keep climbing that mountain, give it everything you have, and I promise you, it will take you to places you never dreamed of.
5. Sacrifice
You’re probably not going to have everything. Achieving success, having fulfilling friendships, and a relationship- these things don’t magically appear. You have to set aside time for them. So you better figure out a balance, and quickly. If not, you’re probably going to have to sacrifice one for the other. The sooner you come to this realization, the happier you will be. If you want a thriving social life, you’re gonna have to give up those career goals. If you’re a free spirit, you may have to sacrifice that relationship that’s holding you back. My point is, certain parts of your life will have to be placed on the back-burner in pursuit of whatever you are trying to achieve, but eventually I hope you’ll find that balance I mentioned.
6. Travel, Travel, Travel
This is all I remember of my 20s and all I dream of in my 30s. Do this while there is no anchor from holding you back. The knowledge and experience you gain from traveling is unparalleled in this life. Many employers offer the chance to travel with paid vacation days. Make sure to use up every. single. day.
7. Asleep (The title should be Sleep but I had to make a Smiths reference)
You might find that your energy levels are just not the same as it used to be. Staying up until 3 AM no longer seems like a viable option. Get those 7 to 8 hours of sleep, and you’ll find you can conquer just about anything, including that annoying Becky at the office who won’t stop yammering in your ear.
8. Pregame
Here we are at yet another Saturday night. You’ve made plans with your friends to go out drinking. You might want to do just a rough estimate in your head of just how much you’ll be spending on drinks. Go ahead and just come up with a number now. You’re disappointed, aren’t you? Well here’s a friendly tip your wallet will thank me for. Set up a meet up destination, pick a friend’s place and decide you guys will all meet and drink there. Between all the BYOBs you’ll be surrounded by, you’ll find you just saved yourself a pocketful of cash/ credit charges and once you’ve decided on which bar you’re finally headed out to, just ask the bartender for tap water at the bar. That way you feel just a bit less awkward standing around at that bar and more hydrated from your earlier drinking escapades. Your liver will thank me.
9. Never Ever Compare Yourself To Others
You’ll come to find everyone’s life will move at a different pace than others. Some will settle down early in their 20s, some will even have children even before reaching 30. Don’t let that scare you into thinking your behind. We all have our own personal journey. Besides, you may think those that have achieved everything early on life are happy, but you truly do not know what battles they are facing. The point is, focus on yourself and get where you want to be without any regrets. You’re only going to destroy your spirit by comparing yourself to someone else.
10. Oh, and Moisturize
I really can’t say this enough. You know how people are saying, 30 is the new 20? Well, these people are applying SPF 30 everyday. You may have rolled your eyes at the notion of including this into your routine in the past. Sorry to say but you’ve reached that pinnacle moment in your life when this new found routine is necessary if you want to maintain that J. Lo glow. Just like sleep and exercise, this too is necessary for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
