Mistakes to avoid in your 20s: As people reach their twenties, they learn that adulthood isn’t as exciting as they once thought. The pressures of meeting deadlines and paying taxes begin to weigh them down; but, being in your twenties is also the best period of your life! The age of self-discovery has arrived. It is said that making errors and learning from them might help you discover yourself in your twenties. What most people don’t realize is that there are certain faults that one should avoid if they want to live a happy life after 30.
If you believe you’ve fixed all of your faults in life, check out these early-20s blunders that are ruining countless lives. Yes, this is advise for people in their twenties, but if you’re still making these mistakes, it’s also for you.
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Top 11 Mistakes People Make in their 20s And How to Avoid Them
1. Falling to Plan: Many people believe that time will slow down as they age. It won’t, so make the most of every second you have left! Save money today to secure your future. Rather than squandering your twenties and accumulating debt by living beyond your means, consider the following options (surfing through loans is easy but it comes with consequences).
Because they didn’t plan ahead, many people are compelled to return home with their parents, stop studying, or even change occupations. Prepare a financial plan! Set away 10% of your income for yourself and don’t touch it until you’re in an emergency or need to pay off debt.
2. Going To Graduate School For Graduate School’s Sake: Going to graduate school used to be a surefire method to land a high-paying corporate job right after graduation. Many employers will even pay for your graduate school tuition (wouldn’t that be nice?). Although much has changed since then, our generation still confronts cultural pressure to attend graduate school since it is the “correct” decision. It isn’t always the case. At the age of 22, few people know exactly what they want to do in the long run. With tuition rates rising at 8 times the rate of inflation each year, going to grad school in the hopes of earning a higher salary is no longer a viable option.
Graduate school should be a deliberate option made because you know it will help you advance in your career. It’s an investment, not a “find yourself” opportunity, at the end of the day. If you’re at a crossroads and think grad school is not the “safe option” for figuring yourself out, save yourself the time and financial hardship of large debt. Instead, look for an entry-level position to begin learning about several businesses that interest you. After a few years of working, you’ll be in a better position to decide whether or not graduate school is the correct next for you.
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3. Falling for Relationship Pressure: It’s funny how your Instagram/Facebook feed starts out with everyone at college parties, then moves on to mushy relationship photographs, engagement/wedding photos, and then, the inevitable baby period.
Yes, many people start dating in their 20s, but you shouldn’t get into a relationship merely to be in one. Instead, take the time to explore your interests and discover who you are as a person, then see who happens to cross your path.
4. Not Developing Healthy Habits: Establishing and sustaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle early in life will significantly improve the quality of your life as you grow older. Look for physical and mental distractions. Regularly engage in activities such as cycling (my personal favorite), walking with a partner, soccer, tennis, trekking, and so on.
A balanced diet is also necessary for a healthy lifestyle. Hard substances, like smoking, have a negative impact on your quality of life.
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5. Not Looking Into Different Career Options: Your first employment, and most likely your second and third, will almost certainly not be your last. That’s perfectly typical! Before committing to a single professional path, your 20s are the greatest years to try out numerous occupations and find your genuine abilities and hobbies.
Many people, especially in today’s day, transfer employment every 2-3 years in order to obtain new skills, take on new challenges, or change careers. Gaining additional abilities from diverse professions provides you an advantage over others who have spent their entire careers in the same role, which companies frequently view as more valuable (and will likely pay you more for those skills).
6. Thinking That You Are Too Young To Invest: I’m too young to invest, or I have a lot of time, therefore I’ll start investing later, is a frequent illusion that we believe in our 20s.
However, you should be aware that your early twenties are the time in your life when you are fully independent and attempting to build a career. There is no pressure of marriage, and you earn for yourself while also contributing to your family’s well-being. So you should invest now since, compared to your 30s, you may invest more and see the compounding effect.
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7. Thinking Friends Understand You Better Than Your Family Members: We go through a phase in our twenties when we assume our friends understand us better than our family members, but we don’t realize it’s all due to the fact that our bodies are changing.
We discuss our opinions or experiences with our friends since we fear we won’t be able to share them with our families at this time, which is absolutely true, and I have no objection to it. However, you must understand that your friends, no matter how close they are to you, are unconcerned about you since they are going through the same thing.
They also need someone with whom they can share their emotions and experiences.They will find a better friend than you if you are not with them, but your family members are the ones who will always understand you and will always stick by you no matter what. You should cherish your family since they are the only people who will always be there for you. In our twenties, we are full of hatred and anger, and we battle with our parents about small concerns.
On the other hand, as you spend a lot of time with your friends, remember that your family comes first, so keep them in mind when you’re upset and ready to fight.
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8. Fear Of Criticism: Many people, particularly those in their twenties, who want to do or achieve something, such as becoming a social media influencer, are afraid that others will judge them or that if they hesitate while taking action, others would mock them.But I’ll tell you one thing: nobody cares about you since they’re too preoccupied with their own lives.
9. Careless Spending: The 20s appear to be all about spending money and having a good time, yet this is where most people go wrong! The world is a harsh place, and you’ll only pay the price if you give in to any of your bad desires, because they’ll come back to haunt you at some point.
Be fiscally prudent; don’t spend more than you can afford (you don’t want to be forced into bankruptcy), and don’t make decisions based solely on emotions (like selling off your house just so you can spend the money on a lavish holiday).
10. Have Fun: Yes, we covered a lot of serious topics above, but your twenties are also a great time to have fun, so make the most of it. Enjoy those weekends with friends, try new things, visit the wonders of the globe, and make the most of your 20s.
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11. Spending money on trivial things: Most young people want to have fun, enjoy their lives, and feel like they belong. They observe others and aspire to live similarly to them, making the same purchases and adopting similar lifestyles. Young ones are more likely to chase after trends, enjoyment, style, and other things. There is nothing wrong with being trendy and purchasing the newest iPhones, other than the fact that it makes you poorer!
Your main responsibility as a young person should be to lay a strong financial foundation for your future. You must learn about investing and develop the habit of saving money to accomplish this. After you have amassed a fortune, you will be able to purchase everything and everything you could want. I realize it’s bad advice for anyone in their 20s, but wait till you’re 50 and understand what it’s like to be broke at that age.
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Conclusion
That concludes some of the best advice for your twenties. Without a question, our twenties are all about discovering who we want to be and what type of life we want to live. Yes, this decade is full of opportunities, but it may also feel like a struggle as the weight of all those expectations bears down on us. Having said that, the most important thing is that you do not give up.
You’ll almost certainly make errors along the way–we all do! However, if you ever find yourself wondering, “Is this worth it?” take a step back and remind yourself why you’re in your 20s working so hard for something amazing rather than coasting through life without passion or purpose.
Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka, ACMC, is a lawyer and a certified mediator/conciliator in Nigeria. He is also a developer with knowledge in various programming languages. Samuel is determined to leverage his skills in technology, SEO, and legal practice to revolutionize the legal profession worldwide by creating web and mobile applications that simplify legal research. Sam is also passionate about educating and providing valuable information to people.