Things In Your Twenties That People Learn Too Late
Published June 29th, 2023 by Sabah V.
The things that you learn in your twenties can really shape the way you see things. A lot of time people get very generic advice on the best things to do in your twenties, so today we are gonna discuss 5 SPECIFIC things to implement starting today.
1) Talk To Them
Most people aren’t as intimidating as they seem on the surface. Often times, we build a scary persona of other people in our heads. We imagine that they could be really mean or that they could just totally brush us off, but most of the time this is not the case.
If you struggle with this, go ahead and practice it with 5 people. I guarantee you they are nicer than you would have imagined.
There was a period of time I felt nervous to go up to girls I didn’t know, I’d always assume that they would be rude and not care to talk but it wasn’t until I put it into practice that I realized all of that was completely made up in my head. And some of those people are still my friends today.
Talk to them, say hi. This is a chance to make meaningful connections. So go ahead and say hey, You never know what can come out it.
2) Let People Finish Talking
Let people finish their sentence before you speak. Don’t be in two heads at once. Sometimes in conversations we feel the need to fill in any periods of silence to avoid awkwardness. But when you’re rushing to respond as soon as the person you’re speaking to finishes talking, you do 2 things:
- You make the conversation feel rushed, and this is uncomfortable
- You aren’t even fully present in the conversation
So next time you feel the need to keep thinking of a response for when they finish their sentence, don’t. Let it come naturally. Talking to people is supposed to be fun, and don’t worry, everyone’s personality is different and some don’t mesh as well as others. So if the conversation is getting bland, it’s ok to say your goodbyes and walk away.
3) Be Willing To Change
Don’t think, “This is the way I am” and be stuck in your ways. Be willing to change. This happens when someone thinks they are a certain way and then do everything to keep acting that way to avoid an identity crisis.
We see this sometimes in people who have gone through something traumatic. They subconsciously won’t let go of the trauma because it has become such a core component of their being that letting the trauma go would make them feel confused as to who they are.
Realize that who you are today may not be who you are in 5 years. And the things you like, don’t have to be things you like for the rest of your life.
4) Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff
Don’t sweat the small stuff. In our twenties, we think really long term. Example: “If I take this job, this will be my life.” And you start imagining yourself in your 40s doing the same thing. You don’t know how life will turn out, and most of the time it goes completely different than expected: which can be a really good thing.
A lot of times we stress in our heads way more than we should. Obviously having worries is good to an extent, but don’t think that every life choice in your twenties will shape your future permanently. Do the best you can in that moment, take a deep breath, and move on.
5) Take The First Step
Take the first step. A lot of times we want things in life but we somewhat expect it to kind of be thrown on our plate. For example, and this is from personal experience, let’s say you want to learn martial arts, for me it was Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. But, you’re intimidated to show up because you’ve never really done it. Take the first step, and a lot of the path will be illuminated from there.
Imagine it this way: you’re driving in the dark, and it’s foggy so your headlights can’t see that far. The more you drive forward, the more you can see what’s ahead in the path. So take that first step.