Congratulations. You are now 25 years old and arguably an adult. Your early twenties are behind you, which means that you can no longer use young and reckless as an excuse for questionable decisions and considerable mistakes. People will now judge you for these actions and question your value as an adult. Ok, maybe turning 25 isn’t that serious. But I still think it is time to make some changes. 25 is not to be taken lightly, it is time to make some adjustments in your life and build the person you want to be for the rest of your life. Thus, I would like to present you with 25 challenges you set for yourself on your 25th birthday to be a more responsible 25 year old adult.
25 promises for 25
25. Moderate your drinking.
You are too old to black out. Plain and simple. No one wants to babysit and no one wants to deal with your drunk ass. Now I know that you will still get out of control every once and a while, and that is ok, you are after all human. But seriously, stop blacking out.
24. Make fun of yourself:
When others do, it will help it hurt less.
23. Enjoy having too much:
Too much love, too much freedom, too much responsibility, too much sleep. These are good things and you should bask in the opulence that engulfs your life.
22. Never forget that YOU ARE CAPABLE:
You are capable of handling situations that you never thought imaginable. Boyfriends will dump you, friends will desert you and projects will completely fail; but that is ok. Never forget that life never gives you more than you can handle and you can overcome any situation.
21. Read more:
Pretty self-explanatory.
20. Embrace Loneliness:
Loneliness is not a bad thing, contrary to what every romance novel, cosmo article, and self-help book has ever said. Through loneliness we can better understand who we are and what we want out of the relationships in our lives. Learn to own your loneliness and never let it consume you completely. And never-ever let loneliness drive you back in to the arms of someone who hurt you in the past. It is better to be alone than to be a fool.
19. Argue. Debate. Disagree:
Never forget the importance of questions. Keep an open mind and listen to the opinions of others. Only through a thoughtful exchange of ideas can true understanding be achieved.
18. Stop lying to yourself:
A giant salad covered in dressing is not the healthiest option. “I’ll do it tomorrow” is not an excuse. He is not going to call you. And stop buying clothes that you think will “look perfect when you lose 5 pounds.” The sooner you accept realities of life the better off you will be.
17. Laugh Constantly. Laugh Freely:
Just because you are an adult now doesn’t mean everything has to be serious. Laugh whenever you can and enjoy the silly moments you have with your friends, family and community.
16. Thank your parents:
They are the reason you are the person you are now. Their endless support, encouragement and love is what brought you to where you are today and what has allowed you the opportunities you have had. Don’t ever let a chance to tell them how much they mean to you pass. Some day they will not be around for you to tell them how much you love them so make sure you take advantage of the time you have now. You know how incredible you think they are, so why not tell them that?
15. Evolve:
Be progressive. Challenge your identity every single day and never stop searching for ways to make yourself better.
14. Persist:
Don’t ever give up. You know what you want out of life so go out there and get it.
13. See the good in people:
Don’t judge someone before you get to know them. People are generally good and they just need to have that good brought out of them. Be that person. Be the person who brings out the good in others because they are the most important people on this planet.
12. Be authentic:
If you commit to something then you better follow through. Be your true self and don’t ever try to change yourself for someone else. If you want to veg out in your bed all day; do it. If you want to listen to Lady Gaga; do it. If you want to stay in and read a book instead of going out with friends; do it. Be who you want to be and no one else.
11. Take action:
If you want to see change happen then it is up to you to do it. This is especially true when it comes to PC service and Graduate school applications. Go out there and plan the training you want, organize a sports club at your school, fill out that fellowship application, complete your grad school applications and pursue the future you dream of. No one else can make it happen for you, only you have that power.
10. Be brave:
Try new things. Travel by yourself. Talk to a stranger. Open your heart. You may fail or you may end up hurt but that is a hell of a lot better than looking back and feeling like you missed out on a truly great experience.
9. Practice Positivity:
You are not an idiot. You know that not every day is rainbows and butterflies, but do yourself a favor and at least TRY to find the positive in every situation. No one likes a negative Nancy. You and your friends will thank you later. Plus, you will save a lot of wasted time. Who wants to look back and regret their negative attitude (this is especially true in regards to your PC service).
8. Don’t bail.
You are an adult now. Stop bailing on people. You hate when people do it to you, so don’t do it to them.
7. Open your heart:
Open your heart to friendships and love. Don’t guard yourself because you were hurt before. You will never develop meaningful relationships until you let yourself believe that you deserve the love others want to give you.
6. Forgive and let go:
Directly related to the above promise, let go of wrongs in your past and forgive yourself and others. Yes, you have made mistakes. Who hasn’t? Get over it and make sure you do better in the future. Heartbreak is part of the human experience. You have had your heart broken by boyfriends, friends and family and I can almost guarantee you will have your heart broken again. But forgive those people and move on. It’s what’s best for everyone.
5. Travel with an open mind:
See the world and appreciate every place for exactly what it is. Don’t compare every location to places you have been before. Let your travels change you.
4. Remember, your body is a temple.
Eat healthy, exercise often and love the body you are in. Tell yourself you are beautiful every single day; because you are! You have had this body for 26 years and you will have it for another 50+ so why not treat it that way? Trust me, 80 year old you will thank you for it.
3. Remember how blessed you are:
Don’t ever let a day go by where you don’t count your blessings. You are the luckiest girl in the world, and don’t you forget it.
2. Stop talking about people behind their backs
This is a two fold request. 1. you should stop talking about people behind their backs because it is childish and just plain unnecessary. It does no good for you and only makes you look like a mean, spiteful individual in the eyes of other people. 2. why do you feel the need to talk about someone else and judge who they are? Unless your friend is doing something to harm his or her self or someone else, what they do is really not your concern. You have lived long enough now to understand and accept that everyone is different and not exactly like you. That fact is what makes friendships and relationships so beautiful. Stop trying to change people. Embrace them.
1. Live. Your. Life.
You can plan your day, make countless to do lists, scheme all you want but it will not matter. Life will never follow your plan. Life does not care about your lists or schemes. When life throws you a curve just do your best to adjust and recalculate what you want and how you will achieve it. Stop trying to micromanage your life and more importantly stop judging yourself for not being exactly where you thought you would be at 26. Open your arms and embrace this crazy, beautiful life.
Congratulations, you 25 year old beauty! It’s time to own our late twenties.
