Pushing 30: 10 Things I Learned In My 20’s

Oh, my twenties.  What an eventful decade.  This era was marked with tests that came before lessons, but the lessons were invaluable. Here are just ten of the many things I’ve learned in the last 10 years:

1. You can’t be everywhere and everything to everyone…and it’s okay. Self-care is the best the care.
2. We were not built with rear view mirrors or eyes in the back of our heads.  Live life looking FORWARD. If you spend your whole life looking backward, there’s no way you’ll ever see clearly where you’re going. Let go, let God, forgive and forget.
3. Toxic people are like boomerangs.  It’s up to us to move out of the way before they come back. Otherwise, you’ll catch the same hell, or it’ll just hit you in the face.  Both are too painful to be worth it.
4. You can’t put a price tag on peace. Drama-free life is the best sleeping pill.
5. Trials are bitter, but perseverance is sweet. Going through is sho nuff hard, but on the other side of “through” is victory – and the satisfaction of overcoming.
6. Keep doing right. God is always faithful, and He never forgets (even when people do). And even if they don’t say it, people remember, too. Just remember that your validation is from above. Look for vertical promotion, not a just a lateral move.
7. People see HOW you are before they know WHO you are.  Act accordingly. Let the reputation that precedes your presence be a positive one.
8. Your mind is prime real estate. Don’t let anyone occupy your mind rent-free. That precious energy we waste worrying about other people could be used on more constructive activities that fulfill us. Steward your thoughts as best you can in favor of positive things.
9. If you fail, don’t let it be because you failed to try. Failure is a fact of life that everyone encounters at some point, but don’t let fear stop you from trying.  Besides, you must be present to win.
10. You can wait on your life to change, or you can change your life. START TODAY. One day at a time.

What pearls of wisdom did you earn in your twenties, or over the course of your life? Drop them in the comments below!