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After reading the book, 17 Lists That Will Change Your Life, it placed a new perspective on how I have been living my life. Go after what you want, be direct, don’t be afraid to be aggressive, don’t stop, party until the sun comes up, make mistakes, and have no regrets. So with that, I decided to make my own list. A list that is complied of all of the things I have learned in my 20s, despite only being 21.
1. Read everything and anything you can get your hands onto. Knowledge is power. Magazines, online newspapers, classics, bestsellers, thought provoking books, short stories — read all of it. Read everything and use all of the stories to your advantage in life.
2. There is nothing wrong with blowing your paycheck on clothes. Sure, you should probably be buying groceries, but will you regret not buying that gorgeous top or that perfect dress to go out in? More than likely. So just buy the clothes!
3. Freedom is sitting in a diner with friends at 3:30 and drunkly debating whether or not the table should get more hash browns.
4. Any excuses you are making for yourself are invalid. If you really wanted to do something, you could find a way to do it. There are no excuses — especially not having any money. You have no money? Find a way to make more. Go to Europe, go visit that far away friend, go experience a world and life that you don’t understand. Go do something and make no excuses for it. Excuses are your worst enemy.
5. Partying on Capitol Hill in Seattle after the Seahawks won the Super Bowl was probably one of the best experiences and best decisions I have ever made in my life. Those nights are the nights you feel the most alive. The nights that you should shoot for experiencing more often.
6. Learn to enjoy waking up alone. While having someone next to you is always nice, but waking up alone is a slow, reflective process. There is nothing quite refreshing like waking up from a good night’s sleep to the sound of falling rain or sunshine.
7. You are not stuck where you are. So what if you’re only 20? Move to another city. Transfer to the better college. Move into your own apartment. Be near your parents. Be in a place where you know you can grow into the person you want to be, not the person you are stuck being. It is not easy, but it is worth it.
8. Go to class. Sit there, take notes, listen to the professor — despite it being boring and may not be worth it, you may instill habits and learn unconsciously that could help you out in the future.
9. Have a one night stand. Sure, you may facepalm yourself later for your actions, but it teaches you something valuable. It teaches you to spot those guys who only want one thing, the guys you only have a connection with because you only want the same thing they want. It’ a little horrifying, but it’s a great lesson.
10. Do something about it! Really! Don’t like something? Say something, do something about it, walk away from the whole situation. Don’t sit there and talk about how much you like it. Get off of your ass and just change the way things are. This includes friends. Cut off those toxic friendships, because they’re not worth it either.
11. Journal! Forget the whole “bad girls don’t have time to write in journals” because that’s not true. Journaling everything is great for reflective purposes, helps you organize your thoughts. Come home after a long day, sit down with some good music, a glass of wine, and just write everything. It’s the cheapest and best form of therapy.
12. Learn how to cook! Not only is it cheaper to buy groceries than going out and eating, but it’s healthier too! From that, there is something so satisfying about coming home after a long day and making your own meal.
13. Your first love will break your heart. Whether it’s the words they say or you realizing that nothing is going to change. It will be painful, you will be numb — the experience will completely suck. However, there is moving on. As much as you may not want to, it’s best for you and your learning experience.
14. If you wake up thinking “my mom would kill me” you are definitely doing it right.
15. Luna bars will be your best friend when you don’t have time to eat.
16. Find the place where you know you belong. It is the most liberating feeling because no matter how little friends you have or what city you are living in — your life will fall into place the way it was meant to.
17. Eggs are the greatest food you can have in your refrigerator.
18. Do something that scares you every single day. Then you can say “at least I did it!”
19. You will meet those few friends who love you just as much as you love them, and they will allow you to be yourself. Those will be the best friends in your life.
20. You will pick yourself off of the ground a lot. When you fall down, go over to your parents’ house and recover. Cuddle with warm pets, spend time with Mom, go to lunch with Dad, drink wine, lay in your bed and pretend you’re 17 again, and then go back home. Try again. Sometimes our minds just need a reset button.
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