Surviving Your 20s: The Key Guidelines

Usually people face the real world with all of its problems and uncertainty in their 20s. When they are in high school and then in college, everything is pretty much streamed out for them. They have to study well and earn good grades, take part in extracurricular activities, be nice to parents and teachers, and everything will be fine. However, not everything is that straightforward in the real world.

Once you leave the nest of your cozy parents’ house or dormitory, you really have to deal with all the issues on your own. There will be no experienced mentor or school counselor by your side. It is a time where it is crucial to follow certain principles of adulthood to avoid immediate failure.

Of course, there is no age limitation of this transition, and it can actually happen much earlier or much later in life, and it’s totally fine. However, most people have to cope with it in their 20s. Here I will elaborate on the key guidelines of survival in your 20s.

You Don’t Need to Have It All Figured Out

It is a common desire to understand who you want to become early in life and jot down a plan for success. However, most people have multiple talents and hobbies, and it is hard for them to stick to the chosen course of actions. It is okay to feel this way. Use your 20s to stray between various opportunities to find those that make you most happy.

However, even if you do not find any preferences, it is good enough if you simply like what you are doing. There is no such thing as a true calling. You can simply become professional at something by doing it a lot, and that will definitely make you feel good about yourself and your job. However, don’t be afraid to give up on careers that you feel are not carved out for you. Be open to new opportunities as only this way you will be able to find an occupation that best suits your ideal.

Most people can excel at many things; however, they may not consider all of them enjoyable. In your 20s you can explore much more than you will be able to in your 30s with more obligations underway. Use this time smartly.

It Is Not All About the Money

Many young graduates have huge student debts, and they rush into careers just to gain some financial stability. Of course, having money makes life easier. However, there are many jobs out there and many ways to make that same salary. You should not agree to the first job offer that pops up and carefully evaluate if you are going to enjoy it first and your alternatives.

It really won’t look good on your resume if you abruptly leave a top-notch position in a good company. Therefore, I suggest you take some extra time to research the firm you plan to apply to and understand if it is really where you want to invest your precious time. If not, don’t be tempted just by the remuneration, as it won’t make up for all the suffering that hating your job can incur.

If there are no alternatives, and you’ve got to pay your bills, you can take some lesser qualified jobs like a customer support agent or a retail clerk. If those jobs don’t satisfy your financial needs, only in this case it is okay to agree to a qualified position, but don’t get too fixated on it. Look for side jobs or educational opportunities to boost your resume, gain useful connections and later get a job that should suit you better.

Organize Your Environment

First of all, let’s talk about friends. It is crucial that you surround yourself with people who believe in your and wish you all the best. Don’t let envy and pessimism permeate your life through your social milieu. Picking your friends is like picking your food. It is not bad to eat a cheeseburger once in a while, but eating it every day is likely to kill you.

Secondly, clean your house. Seriously, do it now. Many people do not realize the importance of having a clean and fresh environment for their creativity, concentration and a general well-being. If your house looks like it was hit by a hurricane, you are going to be constantly distracted by this mess and your thoughts will lose their clarity and reason.

Just remember, your surroundings, both social and physical have a great impact on you. They can inspire you to become a better version of yourself, or they can stress and discourage you. Make sure you make the right choices in this regard.

Respect and Love Yourself

It is a simple tip that many young people still ignore, as it is sometimes very hard to do when you are young. You don’t have very many achievements, and your expectations probably fell through. However, it is crucial to respect and love yourself despite all the drawbacks and uncertainty in your current life to have a bright future.

The trick here is not to appreciate your successes, but rather your efforts. Most people have very few accomplishments and a huge collection of failures. They would often feel confused, angry or depressed because of it, especially if they did very well in school or college. The issue here is that hard work does not always pay off in real life world. It can be a painful realization for those whose life was predicated on this idea up until graduation.

You should just accept this harsh reality, and praise yourself not only for attaining something, but for simply doing your best. If you love and respect yourself, it will show, and others will be forced to do the same. Just remember, you are the only thing that you are stuck with permanently. Therefore, building a sound self-esteem is a key to having a happy life and surviving its most tumultuous period – your 20s.