You can’t really go through life without having experiences that change the way you see the world, or yourself, forever.
Some of our experiences bring us great joy, while others are not so great, but I’m a firm believer that the not-so-great experiences are the ones that often teach us the most, make us better people, or make us stronger. I certainly wouldn’t be who I am today without the bad days and I’m sure you can say the same.
Like all of us, I’m still learning about this thing called life (let’s be real: I don’t think the learning ever stops), but here are some of the most important life lessons that I have learned in my 27 years:
1. The truth will set you free.
I’ve heard this time and time again over the years, but it really is so true. If your gut is telling you that you’ll feel better if you just get that thing off your chest, trust it.
2. Good days tend to follow the bad ones.
I can’t speak for everyone when I say this, but I know the hardest, darkest times of my own life have always passed and paved the way for great days ahead – even when I was sure that they wouldn’t.
3. There is nothing quite like family.
You know this one is true; for better or for worse 🙂
4. Or really good friends.
Same here. Keep the good ones around forever – it seems good friends are a little harder to find the older you get. Is that just me?
5. Paying off debt is a b**** , but it is absolutely critical for a successful financial future.
I could talk all day long about how paying off my debt was one, long sacrifice, but now, I look back on those days with so much gratitude. My financial potential feels boundless without my debt looming over me.
6. Don’t believe everything you see or read, especially on Instagram.
As obvious as this sounds, this is still something I actively have to remind myself of. Just because your favorite Instagram “influencer” seems to say all the right things, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t also do your own research.
7. We all struggle from time to time – don’t envy those that appear like they don’t.
If you perceive others as perfect, and then compare yourself to them, you are comparing yourself to something that doesn’t exist – and you probably won’t feel too good about yourself after doing so.
8. Treat others the way you’d like to be treated.
So simple, yet, so important.
9. Sometimes friendships need breaks in order to get back on track.
A few of my very best friendships in the world have needed breaks from anywhere between 3 months to a year. Sometimes you (and the other person) need to separate yourselves in order to grow a little bit without each other so that when you reconnect your friendship is even stronger.
10. You must practice loving yourself every day.
Every. Single. Day.
11. The less you judge others, the less you’ll judge yourself; and vise versa.
I find that this is true – try it out.
12. Spend your money consciously.
If you’re going to spend the money you spent hours of your life earning, make sure it is worth it – thinking about how many hours you worked at your job to afford the thing you want to buy can help with this.
13. But make sure you pay yourself first (save!).
There are few things more important than saving your hard-earned money. Money gives you options.
14. Celebrate all the things – life is too short not to.
If you celebrate 5 things a year (accomplishments, birthdays, anniversaries), and you live until you are 100, that’s a total of 500 celebrations out of about 36,500 days. That’s not enough celebration in my opinion 🙂
15. Read a book once in a while.
Personal development books are my go-to, but I find that something can always be learned from any kind of book that you read.
16. Find the simple, little things that bring you joy and find ways to incorporate them into each day.
Coffee, candles, walks around the neighborhood – whatever it is that you love, write them down and do them often.
17. Never put anyone on a pedestal.
There’s nothing quite like being let down by someone you thought was perfect or someone who you aspired to be like, especially those that you really resonated with. We are all human and humans make mistakes.
18. If you want to grow, you have to get out of your comfort zone.
There’s really no way around this one – it’s just the way of the world. If you want to be better, level up, grow, then you have to get uncomfortable and try new things.
19. There is no such thing as “someday”. It’s now or never.
I really can’t stand it when people say “someday” – they might as well say never. If you want something, make a plan for it to become possible starting today.
20. Remember to call your loved ones – they miss you.
Don’t let too much time pass between that last phone call.
21. Always always always negotiate your pay.
I’ve negotiated in every situation where my pay was up for discussion. My salary would be at least $10-15k lower right now if I hadn’t.
22. Work out, sleep well and drink lots of water.
These three things will make you feel better, both physically and mentally.
23. Humility is a characteristic of the best kinds of people.
I’ve never met a humble person that I didn’t like.
24. We should all spend more time with the people that matter the most to us.
I never want to get older and feel like I should’ve spent more time with my family and friends.
25. Having confidence in yourself is so powerful – but oftentimes it takes practice.
I find that practicing #10 helps with this tremendously. Forgive yourself, be kind to yourself, take care of yourself, compliment yourself – all of it.
26. Invest in your retirement – ASAP! Put money away now.
This is something that you should absolutely be doing and something that you will never regret! You’ll only regret not starting sooner.
27. Be open to criticism, especially from the people that care about you or that you respect.
Being open to criticism can be hard because it forces us to take a deeper look at ourselves (which can be really uncomfortable). But if you truly consider the feedback and criticism you have been given, it can be used to help you move forward. View criticism as a catalyst for change and positive personal development, not a major road block.
I could go on! But I can’t wait to look back on this list a year from now.
P.s. Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @ImperfectTaylor and subscribe to my blog so you never miss a post!
How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.
Annie Dillard