25 things I learned when I was 24

It’s my birthday, so let’s look back on some of the things I learned when I was 24.

1. Talking about work doesn’t build anyone up, it just makes you boring and not fun to be around.
2. Assigning emotion to email means bringing the stress of online correspondence into your real life. Try to separate that out.
3. Work/Life balance is an aspiration. Work is part of your real life, and as it is often what is scheduled around, and work is required, “balance” simply means not spending any more time than necessary on it.
4. Traveling is a luxury and a privilege I am lucky to experience. It is not something everyone gets to experience.
5. Jobs will come and go, but so will friends, and your work relationships do mean something as well.
6. Get your affairs in order. Yes, this means at 25, have a will, have it notarized and accessible, and voice to your friends and family how you want your remains handled.
7. Your book won’t write itself, but there are seasons to write and seasons where it isn’t as feasible. It’s okay.
8. Guilt is powerful, and feeling guilt over every aspect of your life is being way too hard on yourself.
9. Approaching situations with kindness rather than anger always moves you forward.
10. You don’t have to save the world. Really. You are not responsible for all the worlds suffering.
11. You are not “behind” for not having started graduate school yet. You are in your own lane, and not racing against yourself.
12. Slow down, you have plenty of time.
13. People who reach out only on your birthday are not worth having strong emotions over.
14. Money turns emergencies into inconveniences.
15. You cannot read enough self help books to out-pace your depression.
16. Having numerical goals for creative endeavors is a great way to get depressed over creative outlets.
17. Reviewing books online is no longer your passion, and that is okay.
18. Your body isn’t sacred, it is your home, live in your home with the comfort of knowing it is yours and not meant to be worshiped.
19. Playing the game of waiting for people to talk to you is a great way to make yourself miserable. If you want to talk to someone, just talk to them.
20. Striving to achieve goals that don’t matter to you sucks out motivation from doing something.
21. Working out and eating smaller quantities of healthier food does actually help you lose weight.
22. Don’t let other people dictate your joy. People’s opinions on your life genuinely don’t matter.
23. “Self Care” is important. Spending money in an effort to take care of yourself isn’t needed though.
24. Your worth is not measured by your productivity. You’re still worth something even if you “haven’t accomplished anything.”
25. This is the beginning, not the end.