Who doesn’t know about the so-called “quarter-life crisis”? All fresh grads and yuppies dread either experiencing it or skipping it. The BIG 2 and 5 feel like a gateway to fully morphing into a grown-up. But, whatever feeling it gives to someone, there are several things we can all learn from being 25.
Here are the 25 things being 25 taught me:
Try something new. Cliche! Let’s be honest; it’s easy to say but hard to do! Don’t worry; trying something new doesn’t need to be drastic. It can be as simple as watching a movie alone or writing something. Who knows, you might end up loving it and adding it to your list of hobbies. If you can’t gather the guts to do it yet, don’t worry; the time will come for you to do it.
Get real food! Stop visiting fast food chains daily and start going to the market for real and healthy food. All those sugar, salt, fat, and processed stuff will do you no good.
Put your hair down once in a while. Go crazy. Guards down! Don’t be afraid to have your senses feel free, unrestrained, and unfiltered.
Be confident. We all have insecurities, big or small. We are not perfect, but we can be the best versions. The first step is to love every bit of you. Your forehead, legs, tummy, accent, color, ideas, etc. Every bit of us is beautiful.
Take care of yourself. Go back to the basics—get enough sleep, drink water, eat healthy, and exercise. We can only do so much if we take care of ourselves.
There's nothing wrong with pampering yourself. We all have responsibilities. Family, friends, workmates, and others expect us to be somebody, but that should not stop us from doing things for ourselves. It’s probably one of the best times to understand what makes us feel good and to find ways to feel good.
Spend time with your friends. A weekend out, art class, fun run, hike, or whatever. As time passes, we lose and gain friends; it is better to spend time with them while you can.
Do some social detox. Clean your FB and real-life friends list. Even our lives need cleaning. It’s important to surround ourselves with the right people and people we actually know. Otherwise, we might end up asking every now and then, "Who’s that Pokemon?"
Dress up. Look good. Feel good. Do things better. When stress levels are high, dressing up is a good way to improve confidence and boost morale. In any case, to look good is never a bad thing. :)
Be firm. Know your non-negotiables. It is still better to be hated for doing and saying what is right than to be admired because of lies.
Don’t worry about things you can't control. Focus and energy on things you can influence. We tend to worry so much, and most of the time, we worry about things that are beyond our control. Stop. Breathe. Let go.
Travel! Explore. Just before life gets even more complicated with its demands, get a ticket, pack a bag, and explore. There’s so much more to life than what we usually see.
Never stop learning. May it be a new exercise routine, an online class, or how to pack your travel clothes better. It’s not only the body that needs exercise.
Cuddle a pet. Sometimes, we can’t find somebody to talk to. Sometimes, we don’t have the words to express it. Cuddling a pet is a good idea to release stress and anxiety. Unlike people, our pets will not judge us. They will love us even more for cuddling them.
Start writing. It may be a story, a diary entry, a shopping list, or just a group of words that don’t make sense.
Go out for a date. Okay, I struggled with this one! On a side note, do this only if you are single, okay?!
Choose your battles wisely. Sometimes, being quiet is better. It's not being cowardly about your principles or anything; it just means you know how to level off and focus your energy on more productive things.
Go home. Wherever it is or whatever it means to you.
Forgive. More than anything or anybody, forgive yourself. Don’t be harsh on yourself.
Set goals. Long-term, year-long, month-long, or even a task sheet for the week or the day. We will never know the road we must take if we don’t know where to go. But then, be open for stops, detours, and reroutes.
Prioritize. Life comes in phases, and we are not supposed to do everything at the same time. Don't feel bad if you feel like you have not given enough attention to one aspect of your usual work. Maybe you’re just on a different part of your task sheet.
Set a daily “me time.” 5-15 minutes a day to clear the mind and to get a hold of how you feel will go a long way. Today’s world is just crazy and noisy in all possible ways, and in the midst of it, we need some peace and quiet.
Talk to yourself. Yes, it sometimes feels weird, but it helps calm the mind, affirm choices, and analyze thoughts. Also, you can get the answer you want. :P
Be thankful. Many things in this world can drive us nuts, make us sad, and push us to show the not-so-good in us. Despite all, there’s still a lot that we can be thankful for, no matter how big or small they may be.
Tell stories. There are many stories to tell, but the best stories to share are stories of love, hope, and dreams. Let’s lighten the world by spreading words of positivity and stories that inspire.
