When I look back at my 20s, I know for a fact that I’ve wasted them doing these three things:
- Thinking I knew nothing
- Thinking I knew it all
- Listening to everyone else but my intuition
Are you doing the same?
Whether you are just entering your 20s or have a few years left to enjoy them, you will face one strong feeling inside you – the feeling that you must do some things to remember that decade with.
Being in my mid 30s now, I know for a fact that there are at least 100 things one could do with their life while wandering in their 20s.
And to top it off, here are the four “lessons” I would scribble, seal and send to the heart and mind of anyone who’s still enjoying their 20s.
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Things to Remember if You are in Your 20s
“And in the end it is not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years.“
Abraham Lincoln
Other people’s opinions don’t matter as much as you think
There will be people around you who will feel obligated to tell you how to be an adult, how to live your life, how to look, love, feel, smile, live, breathe, write, sleep, and be.
You just entered adulthood, and trust me when I say that until your late 20s, you truly aren’t sure what being an adult really means.
And that’s okay.
That’s how it is intended to be.
But there will be plenty of people who’ve “been there, done that” and will want to shorten your learning period and tell you how to live your life.
I am not saying you should ignore them, but I am not saying you should listen either. In fact, the 20s are the best time to learn how to listen to your intuition first.
It is the time to learn to choose between what resonates with you and what doesn’t. Most people will have good intentions, but their advice won’t apply to you.
This leads me to my next point…
We all have our own lonely paths to walk
And I am not saying this in the depressive, anxious way it might make you feel. It’s pretty fascinating how we could live in a house full of people, but each one of us has our own story and path to walk.
No matter what portion of your path you share with others, the path doesn’t become less yours. The mistakes will be yours, but the wins as well. The tears of sorrow will be yours, but those of joy too. The wounds will be yours, but the healing too.
Your 20s are the first big step to being the person you are meant to be. Accepting the responsibility you have on your shoulders as quickly as possible is the biggest favor you could do yourself.
There is nothing wrong with you!
When you are 20-something years old, you are most likely one of these two groups: eager to find the love of your life, get married and have kids, or keen to live fully, experiment with life and yourself, and not care about building a family yet.
Whichever one you choose, you will have doubts if you should’ve chosen the other one.
And here’s a grown-up secret I will share with you – doubts never disappear, and we all have them. However, with time, we learn to live with them and accept our choices, or at least that’s the healthy thing to do.
There is nothing wrong with postponing the dreams of raising five children to your 30s, and there is nothing wrong with diving deep into the beauty of being a wife and a mother. Both are amazing learning experiences and will shape you into someone new.
It is going to be okay!
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.“
Maya Angelou
I had my fair share of struggles in my 20s. I made mistakes I wish I didn’t, took choices I am happy with, and choices I regret. I experimented with life, myself, and my Self (there is a difference)…
Battling depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, feeling hopeless and helpless… I’ve had it all, and looking back, here’s what I would tell that young woman: It is going to be okay!
Emotions are important but inconsistent. They come and go, and whatever bottom of life you might be exploring right now – it is going to get better. Nothing lasts forever, and joy and sorrow are part of that deal called life. It might be painful, but you will come out of it stronger than before.
My 20s taught me that I could never have insurance that something wouldn’t happen to me. My 30s show me that there is always an end to it regardless of the pain.
100 Things To Do With Life and Yourself in Your 20s
“The path to whatever your notion of success is will likely not be linear. Don’t take continuous personal growth for granted. Just because you’re older doesn’t necessarily mean you’re wiser. Your 20s will be full of failures — let them happen and learn as you go.”
Holden Desalles
Enough chit-chatting! It’s time to explore life (and yourself) in your 20s, so grab that piece of paper and write down everything that resonates with you on some level. Do it regardless of whether you will actually take action upon it. Curiosity is enough to try something.
I have separated the ideas into eight categories: self-discovery, love life, career, financial life, fun things to do, crazy fun things to do, spirituality, and self-improvement. Let’s tackle them one after another.
Self-Discovery Ideas for Your 20s
As I already mentioned, your 20s are an excellent time to get to know yourself better. You are finally turning into an independent person who doesn’t have to rely on your parents so heavily for help, which is why it’s normal for certain self-awareness questions to arise.
Who am I? What do I like? What don’t I like? Where are my limits and boundaries? What makes me who I am? This is just a tiny chunk of the things you might ponder about in this phase of your life. Here are some things you can do in that period to help you discover yourself and grow into a true individual.
- Learn to be comfortable on your own. There is a great liberation hidden behind this one.
- Go to therapy if needed.
- Build a self-care regime just because it will pay off with the years.
- Evaluate your friendships and keep your true friends. They matter!
- Work on creating good habits and start by scanning these 101 good habits to try.
- Plan your future or at least try to outline some key points.
- Try out new hobbies as they will show you different sides of you.
- Get out of your comfort zone. This is 30-day challenge to push your limits.
- Note what is most important to you and keep in mind.
- Listen to different opinions and new perspectives.
- Travel on your own even if it’s just for a weekend. Make sure you’re safe, though.
- Start journaling. This might be the best decision you’ve ever taken, and I am not exaggerating.
Inside Of My Happiness Journal
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Your Love Life Goals When You Are 20 Years Old
“When you’re in your early 20s your love life seems to explode every 20 minutes or so. By the time you’ve reached your thirties, it is every five or ten years.“
Patrick Marber
Your 20s are all about exploring romantic relationships and determining what is important to you in your partner. This can be a confusing quest – many times; it’s difficult to put down your finger at what it is you like exactly.
However, this is a time when you must listen to your inner voice and learn to decipher it correctly. Your intuition is often right, so listen to what it says to avoid getting hurt in the long run. Here are a few useful things you can do in your 20s to avoid further disappointments down the road. And if you are eager to have more guidance on your love life, check out my other blog that is all about love, relationships, and building a love life you enjoy having.
- Date different people. You will be surprised if I told you that you will most likely end up being happy with someone you didn’t think could make you happy.
- Write a love letter at least once. Sending it is optional.
- Say “I love you!” and really mean it. In fact, say it ONLY if you mean it and never feel obligated to respond to someone’s “I love you!” if you don’t feel it.
- Go on a blind date, but keep your eyes open.
- Use a dating app and get ghosted at least once!
- Kiss a complete stranger, but be sure he’s single.
- Live together with your partner, especially if you think they could be The One.
- Go alone at a bar and try to meet someone, but be sure you stay safe.
- Travel with your partner for longer than two days. It’s amazing how fast you get to know someone when you hit the road together.
- Understand what’s important to you in a partner, and be mindful about it.
Career and Professional Life
“If you don’t make time to work on creating the life you want, you’re eventually going to be forced to spend a LOT of time dealing with a life you DON’T want.“
Kevin Ngo
When you are in your 20s, you are most likely taking your first steps in your professional life. This time can be both exhilarating and scary, with so much new information and dynamics to take in.
Here are a few smart things to do in your 20s regarding your professional development and choosing a career path. Remember though – no decision is final, and even if you choose something you aren’t comfortable with, you can always change your mind at some point.
Your 20s are a time to explore and try new things, so don’t be scared of change – instead, embrace and celebrate it! I changed four different career paths in my 20s (including being a bank office manager) until I found out that blogging is what actually makes me happy.
- Establish clear career goals, but allow yourself to modify them.
- Have a side job. Working one thing only is a thing of the past.
- Build your work ethic and know that there is nothing more important than that.
- Build your personal brand.
- Invest time in learning different skills. Start with Skillshare.
- Work out your time management as this will be the key-skill that will pay off in any other area of your life too.
- Change jobs if you feel like it.
- Form meaningful work relationships.
- Learn to give and accept constructive criticism, and don’t be dramatic about it.
- Level up your negotiation skills.
- Network, network, network.
- Teach a workshop on a skill you are an expert in.
- Attend seminars and conferences.
- Find a mentor.
Your Finances When You Are In Your 20s
“When I was in my twenties, it felt like I was riding wild horses, and I was hoping I didn’t go over a cliff.”
Chaka Khan
Finances are a tough subject but are ultimately one of the things to start doing in your 20s. Now that you (most likely) have access to grown-up money, it’s important to discipline yourself and not splurge on unnecessary purchases.
There are probably important things you need to think of, such as clearing your debt and obtaining passive sources of income. In fact, this can be so overwhelming that people often don’t know where to start. Here are some points that can clear up your priorities and tell you what are the financial things you need to do in your 20s.
- Start budgeting.
- Invest in stocks or cryptocurrencies.
- Build a good credit score.
- Diversify your assets and know that this is a keypoint in your life.
- Maintain an emergency fund regardless of how many other things you might buy with this money.
- Start saving up for retirement now. Time flies faster than you believe.
- Star clearing your debt asap.
- Develop wise spending habits.
- Get your financial documentation in check.
- Save up 20% of your paychecks.
- Learn to do your own taxes. It saves you money and makes you in control of your life.
Fun Things To Do
“20-somethings have the tendency to imagine that their 20s are the last chance they’re going to have to experiment, explore, and party. This is a false premise. Restaurants and cafes continue to let people over 29 through their doors. They even serve them alcohol.”
Holden Desalles
Of course, your 20s are the time to have fun and experience life to the fullest. You shouldn’t put too many boundaries on yourself since if you don’t experience everything life has to offer, you might regret it one day.
Think about it – what if you don’t do this thing you really want to do now (like partying all night), and once you turn 40, you look back and are filled with regret?
There is a time and place for every experience, so don’t cut yourself short. Here are some ideas of things that probably should be on the bucket list for your 20s.
- Experiment with different fashion styles and looks.
- Do something ridiculous for charity.
- Party all night.
- Learn a brand new craft.
- Go on a road trip without a particular destination in mind.
- Write a list of restaurants you want to eat at.
- Join a book club.
- Learn to draw.
- Volunteer.
- Start a weekly tradition with your friend group.
- Say “yes” more often.
- Make new friends.
- Ride horses on the beach.
- Go skinny dipping at night.
- Learn how to cook a very complicated dish.
Crazy Fun Things To Do
“You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.”
George Burns
And where would we be without a bit of craziness in our lives?
Even if you aren’t an adventurous type, you can still introduce a bit of excitement to your life because you deserve it. I mean, you are in your 20s! No excuse justifies you not being a little bit crazy and going on a spontaneous trip to Bali or train for your local marathon.
Don’t pull yourself back and dare to be a little bit insane. You just might surprise yourself and discover a whole new side to your personality. And as I stressed in the above paragraph, self-discovery is a major thing to do in your 20s. Here are some ideas of things you can add to your bucket list.
- Skydiving.
- Swim with sharks.
- Bungee jumping.
- Train for a marathon.
- Dedicate a day to do random acts of kindness for strangers.
- Get a tattoo.
- Apply for jobs that you really want but are outside your experience.
- Start a conversation with someone that’s out of your league.
- Throw a surprise birthday party for your best friend.
- Start going to a dance class and stick with it.
- Try husky sledding.
- Attend the Olympics.
- Go on a hot air balloon ride.
- Take a month-long vacation.
- Visit the seven wonders of the world.
- Spend a week camping in the wild.
Spirituality When You Are 20-Something Years Old
“If you haven’t turned rebel by twenty you’ve got no heart; if you haven’t turned establishment by thirty you’ve got no brains!”
Kevin Spacey
Spirituality has so many different faces nowadays. Whatever it may be for you, it’s important to address this topic and reflect on its meaning for yourself.
What defines spirituality for you? Why is it important?
Of course, you don’t have to be too radical in your ideologies, but your soul can feel at peace if you are simply aware of where you stand.
Following are some things you should do in your 20s to define this connection to spirituality for yourself. Bear in mind that your spiritual mindset isn’t set in stone – it can change in your 30s, 40s, or 50s (and most likely will). What’s important is for you to know what’s important to you at all times.
- Pick up some self-help books. Here are my suggestions.
- Read the Bible.
- Read the Quran.
- Explore Buddhist philosophy.
- Define what spirituality means to you and don’t be afraid to ask questions and be honest with yourself.
- Pick up meditation and learn to stay still.
- Practice daily mindfulness and regularly connect with your Self.
- Spirirtuality is about listening to what makes sense to You and not to people around you. So, ask yourself that quesiton: “What is the agenda of my soul?” Journal about it.
Self-Improvement in Your 20s
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.”
Henry Ford
Where would your 20s be if you didn’t invest time in self-improvement? Self-improvement is vital for your well-being and the future development of your personal and professional life.
People are constantly growing and learning, but doing this with a certain drive and focus can help you tremendously. Think about picking up new skills and perfecting existing ones.
What can help you in the road ahead and can lead to shortcuts along the way? These are the things you should probably focus on the most.
Here are a few ideas of things you can do in your 20s to aid you on the path of self-improvement.
- Learn a new language.
- Learn to cook.
- Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses.
- Accept failure into your life and learn from it.
- Converse with people who aren’t like you.
- Build a foundation for your physical wellbeing.
- Master being an active listener.
- Define your core values.
- Explore what brings you joy and makes you happy.
- Put yourself first.
- Learn how to resolve conflict.
- Get a minimum of 8 hours of sleep per day.
- Learn how to code.
- Eliminate processed foods from your diet.
Final Thought On Things to Do When You Are In your 20s
Your 20s will be different from mine and different from the 20s of the people around you. Life is an individual journey of self-discovery, self-experimentation, self-teaching, self-improving, and self-understanding. Look at them with a pinch of sarcasm, lots of self-forgiveness, and even more self-love. Enjoy them and most of all – don’t grow tired of them. You will miss them later on.
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100 Things To Do In Your 20s
Blogger, dreamer, procrastinator, and lover of everything soul-touching. My mission is to make you laugh, provoke your thoughts, light up your day and inspire you to fall in love with life and yourself.
