22 Life Lessons You Should Know By 22
I'm trying to ignore the fact that I'm actually 22. It's been almost a month since my birthday and I still try to tell people I'm only 21. It's a little weird to think that I'm more than two decades old (OMG).
After graduating college and going through a few life changes, I've realized there are a lot of lessons I've learned up to this point in my life. I mean, after two decades, I've been through quite a lot.
I think the 22 lessons below are some of the most important things I've learned and that all 22-year olds should know most or all of these by now. These lessons have helped guide me in making the right decisions and following a path of growth and opportunity. They're important lessons that everyone should learn at some point in their life if they want to be happier and healthier.
// 1. Take Responsibility //
This one is a biggy. It's so easy to make excuses when something goes wrong or when you make a mistake. Be bold, and accept your fate. Take responsibility and admit your wrongs. People always respect honesty in the end.
// 2. Soak In Every Moment //
This is something I'm really trying to work on. Life moves so quickly, and we often get caught up in things that don't really matter. During major life moments, take a second to look around and capture a mental image. Reflect in that moment on your emotions and the excitement around you. I did this recently when I was waiting to walk across the stage at graduation. I took the wait time to look out at the audience and see my beautiful campus, and just think about how awesome the moment was.
// 3. Make Time For People //
As I've gotten older, my window of free time has been shrinking. Working 24/7 doesn't leave time for family and friends. You have to consciously make time for these people. Plan lunch dates and dinner parties. Don't let important relationships be neglected.
// 4. Practice Self-Control //
I think self-control is the key to being content. The more you realize you don't need everything, the more you appreciate what you do have. I think I made a major breakthrough in self-control when I went to the Cheesecake Factory and for the first time ever, I didn't get a slice of cheesecake. Can you believe the level of difficulty? Practice self-control little by little and watch as you grow more content with what you already have.
// 5. Forgive Others //
Grudges only hurt one person, and it's you. Using forgiveness seems so easy, but it can be incredibly difficult to actually use it. Forgive others and truly let go of things from your past. I've found that looking at things from the other's person's perspective helps. If I can try to understand where they're coming from, I can usually convince myself to move on and forgive them. There are many instances where I have done something similar to what has been done to me. And I would hope for forgiveness too.
// 6. Promote Yourself //
I know it's hard to talk about yourself without feeling obnoxious, but you need to give yourself some credit too. Promote yourself and show off a little. You deserve to be excited about what you're up to. Just don't overdo it and make sure you aren't lifting yourself up while putting others down.
// 7. Sacrifice Your Time //
I often find myself working on something and getting interrupted constantly. People love to ask for advice or share a funny story with me. I could get upset and scream or hide in my room, but instead, I sacrifice my time to listen to people and make them feel important. You don't have to lend an ear, but doing so is an act of kindness that goes a long way.
// 8. Try Everything //
How do you truly know what you like if you haven't explored all your options? It's like when you go to an ice cream store, and they don't have your favorite flavor that day so you reluctantly try a new one only to find out you like that flavor even better. You never know what might be your next favorite thing.
// 9. Go On Every Adventure //
I'll never forget the day I left for Japan. All I want is to go back and explore Tokyo again. Just a few days before we left, I remember worrying about the trip. I thought about canceling everything because I was so afraid of the unknown. I'm so thankful that I took hold of that opportunity and made the best out of it. Go on an adventure and don't let the fear of not knowing what to expect hold you back because the memories you make will be worth it.
// 10. Give Your All //
Giving your all to things that matter to you is easy, but even the little things deserve your full attention. Don't slack off, even when you think the job is meaningless. A restaurant can't run without clean dishes and a store won't sell products if the floor is too dirty to walk on. Every task matters and you need to give the big and the small things everything you've got.
// 11. Respect Everyone //
Everyone deserves respect. Even people who aren't respectful to you. It doesn't hurt their character when they disrespect you, but it does hurt yours to disrespect them. I know everyone's been told not to sink to other's level. But how many of you have ignored a boss or talked back to a teacher? Respect everyone for their role and understand that your character is what matters in the end, not theirs.
// 12. Consider Others //
It shocks me how many people go about their day without considering those around them. It's obvious how selfish everyone is when you're out driving. People just pull out even if you're two feet away or they cut you off when it's your turn to move. Being considerate is simply waiting one extra second to turn at the light to avoid an accident or paying attention to where you're walking so you don't bump someone's phone out of their hand.
// 13. Feelings Are Personal //
You don't get to decide whether you hurt someone or whether they feel a certain way. Their feelings belong to them and your actions can affect them. It's okay to explain yourself and say sorry, but it's not okay to pretend that what you did "wasn't" or "shouldn't be" hurtful. Acknowledge other's feelings, try to figure what makes them feel that way, and work together towards a solution.
// 14. Ask For Help //
When we grow up, we're told to be independent and taught how to do things on our own. As we go through life, I think we forget that we can't do everything alone. Ask for help when you need it. You never want to isolate yourself when you're in over your head. It's a long and lonely road to failure and misery.
// 15. Feel The Pain //
Being numb to your emotions only makes it worse. I'm horrible at dealing with my emotions. I bottle them up until they explode and create chaos. It's so much easy to handle them when they first show up before they grow too large to handle.
// 16. Love Unconditionally //
This takes a lot of effort. This takes all of your energy and a lot of sacrifices. Loving someone unconditionally is accepting every flaw, every mistake, and every wrong doing. It's not hoping they'll change or wishing they were different. It's being thankful for who they are and appreciating all that they do.
// 17. Say No //
You can't please everyone. There's going to be a point in your life when you have to disappoint someone. You need to say no to things that are too much for you or things that you aren't really willing to do. Don't take on too much. People will understand.
// 18. Laugh At Yourself //
We all try to act like we're the coolest people. But we all do dumb things and say silly things. Just yesterday, I put my sandals on the wrong feet. I could have let it embarrass me to the point of worrying constantly about my shoes that day, but instead I just laughed it off. When silly things happen, just laugh it out. Don't feel embarrassed because we all make mistakes.
// 19. Treat Yourself //
Dieting is definitely something worth doing. But you can't cut everything out forever. Life is too short to not try a small piece of cake or enjoy one little chocolate. Never forget to treat yourself because it's good for you to enjoy things. Just keep everything in moderation and you'll have a healthy balance.
// 20. Trust Others More //
Trusting people is something that doesn't come naturally. We only trust ourselves to get the job done or complete a project. We aren't superhuman, and we can't possibly do everything we need to. Let other people help and trust them enough to let them get it done without nagging them constantly.
// 21. You Can't Get Everything You Want //
I've always been understanding. But, I know a lot of people who aren't. When they don't get their way, they they meltdown. I've seen grown women throw temper tantrums to their mothers and grown men pout like a sad dog. You can't get your way all the time.
// 22. You Deserve Nothing //
In our world, everyone feels like they deserve so much. We all deserve nothing. We should earn everything. The government doesn't have to help you and others don't have to support you. If you want something, work for it and see how much more rewarding it is to earn what you have.
