What a phase our Twenties can be. Our mind goes from “you’re still young” to “get your shit together,” all in a matter of months. As we get older, we tend to dwell more on the mistakes we made than the mistakes we didn’t make.
From the day we were born, we listened to our parents. Some stopped at the age of 14, others stopped at 25. More than half of us didn’t even listen to the advice that was given (still love you mom and dad). You make a mistake, people tell you, “I told you so,” you roll your eyes and that is the LAST thing you want to hear. No matter how many times we are given advice or opinions, we will never listen until it has actually happened. It is okay, it’s called being human. But there comes a time in your life where if you are making the same mistakes over and over again, it’s time for a change.
I will be the first to admit, as a 20 something, this early journey of mine has been quite a ride and trust me, I know for a fact, I have a lot ahead of me. Of course, I have made mistakes. Have I learned from some of those? Probably not. Will I ever want to change or avoid making that mistake happen a fifth time? Absolutely!
With the being said, here are 6 common mistakes that happen in your 20s that could have been avoided:
Not Caring For Your Health
All those happy hour specials and $2 Tuesday’s at the local bar. Or the late night munchies so you stop by Taco Bell. And maybe you want that 6th cigarette because you are “stressed”. You might think you can handle it now, but you’ll pay for it later.
Getting Credit Cards
For some reason, we think credit cards are free money because we can pay it back later. It is pretty much free money until you get the bank statement with a due balance of $500. Simple advice really, don’t get yourself into debt. One is enough as it’s easier to keep track of and manage. Also, with one credit card, once you pay the payments on time, within 5 months, your limit can increase.
Not Traveling
There is a saying: “you make time for things you want to do.” Traveling should be one of them. Stop with the excuses, there are numerous sites online who can email you deals on airline flights. Kayak.com, Priceline.com and Expedia.com. Explore this beautiful planet you live on. There is so much in this world that goes unseen and experienced. Let go and escape your world.
Dating
Before anything, there is no right or wrong way of dating. However, there is a smart way of dating. Stay away from the games. I am talking about playing with someone’s emotions or not being clear on what you want out of a relationship. Settling in a relationship that you are not happy with because you are afraid to be alone. Take the time to get to know someone before closing the connection. Be honest with yourself and figure out what you want.
Giving Back
Going out to eat but leaving the waiter/waitress $1 because they forgot to fill your water up. Or spending $200 on a pair of jeans but not wanting to donate $2 to a children’s hospital. If you can afford this you can afford to give back $3 to a meaningful cause. Even if you received horrible service from your waiter/waitress, everyone has bad days. Most waiter/waitress make about $4-$5 an hour, it is not easy. Also, It won’t hurt to give someone the benefit of the doubt.
Featured photo credit: motion/Noelle Buske via flickr.com
