24 Lessons In 24 Years
A reflection of my learnings so far. Plus things some of the best writers on Substack wish they knew at 24.
When you read this, I will probably be out with my friends, enjoying a day off from work to spend a relaxing birthday eve. I was always that friend in the group who would stay low-key on her birthday, probably spending time with her books or staying indoors alone. However, going from celebrating my 20th birthday to now approaching my mid-20s in the blink of an eye, I realise that you can never put up a fight against ageing and emerge victorious.
As the pressure to do a million things at once (only intensifying with age) makes me lose track of my days, I also realise the value of having just one day to slow down and celebrate my existence on this planet.
Like every other year, I sat down to reflect on my life at the start of my birthday month. I came up with a list of 24 things I have learned in 24 years, which includes my learnings about friendship, money, success, failure, rest, and much more.
PS: A special surprise awaits at the end of the list. ✨
24 Lessons In 24 Years
Most people will never remind you of how far you have come. But they will always tell you how far you still have to go. It’s up to you to celebrate your achievements, especially the little ones.
People don’t care about you the way you think they do. So it’s pointless to be someone you are not fearing what they will have to say.
If you don’t believe in the idea of rest, you don’t know the true meaning of a fulfilling life.
You will never know if your dreams have the potential to come true unless you start chasing them.
Learn to set boundaries with people who make you feel like you are not enough no matter what you do. It will save you a lot of unwanted stress in life.
Most friendships are lost as you grow up. Every now and then, pray for the well-being of the friends you crossed paths with, even if some of those friendships ended on a bad note.
Saving money is amazing. But every once in a while, spend your money doing things that truly bring you joy.
Your job title does not define your worth.
When it comes to building wealth, have a rough idea of where your finish line is, or else you will never stop. There is a thin line of difference between knowing how much you want and how much you truly need, which can completely change the way you look at life.
“You are rich if you have money. You are wealthy if you have time.”
Self-awareness is the best gift you can give to yourself.
You will probably curse yourself on days you choose to step outside your comfort zone and face your fears. But you will thank yourself for making this choice at the right time all your life.
There is no one on this planet who has or will never experience failure. But only the ones who see failure as an opportunity to modify their existing approach (hence inviting new experiences and new set of learnings) feel grateful that it happened to them at least once in their lifetime.
Who you are and what you value will change as you grow up, and it’s okay.
You will always admire how you looked when you were young, say 10 years ago. Love yourself for how you look now because this is who your future self would wish to be one day.
Perfection is overrated. A major chunk of growth in your life happens when you make mistakes.
Everything falls into place when the time is right. You can choose how much effort to put in, but can never get ahead of time.
To-do lists will be your saviour on overwhelming days.
Find ways to document your life better. There is a high probability that you may never get the time to revisit thousands of pictures you click throughout your lifetime. Buy a journal and document the special parts of your life as you experience it firsthand.
Buying something expensive will eventually depreciate in value in your day-to-day life. But buying something meaningful will only appreciate in value with each passing day. Choose meaning over money.
Spending less time in the virtual world and more time in the real world will protect your mental peace.
The world needs more people who live with ‘intention’. Make sure you are kind to everyone you meet. They may need your kindness more than you know.
Gratitude keeps you grounded. Pause and appreciate the little things in life often.
In a life where multiple doors open and close as you navigate the chaos, always keep a door open for creativity. It will always be the thing you can fall back on when you lose your way.
Last week, I reached out to some of my favourite creators on Substack (some of them are even subscribed to Unwind which is huge!) to share one thing they wish they knew at 24. I was overjoyed by the response received. Even my mother decided to contribute🥹.
This entire section is dedicated to their lovely responses. Hope you enjoy reading all the responses as much as I did..
[Zoom in if you are reading on your phone. :) ]
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So beautiful!! And I love the idea of asking your favourite substackers about their life lessons.
When I was 24, which was centuries ago, I think my number-one lesson was to stay open to what could be. I moved to Italy for just one summer, to learn Italian, and ended up staying for six years. I started dating a guy as a fun summer fling and this week, in 2024, is our ten-year wedding anniversary. I started chatting online with someone just because he seemed nice, and now he's my forever best friend and we've been through so much together. Entering things with an open mind, I think, was my biggest lesson learned from that time.
I love your lessons, especially nr 22 and 24.
I am deeply honoured to be included in this amazing post. I loved hearing your own thoughts about life as well as those of all these great writers.
Happy Birthday, keep on rocking all the way to 25🎂