Celebrating My 24th Birthday: 24 Life Lessons from 24 Years

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Another year around the sun. It’s been a year of growth, learning, and expansion. I think people reflect on their birthdays in one of two ways. One: We feel a sense of accomplishment and excitement for the day and walk into it feeling like a new year of opportunity is coming our way. Or two: We feel a sense of dread because we haven’t accomplished all that we’ve wanted. And this somehow means that on the day of our birthday—a day that should be for celebration— it’s now a sign that we’re “falling behind.” We all think we’re going to be hitting certain milestones by a certain age. And if we haven’t reached those milestones yet, we mark the day with an air of disappointment. Let me be the first to say: I am absolutely not where I thought I’d be at 24. I’m somewhere better.

If you’re reading this and you’re around my age, hear me out. Our twenties (specifically our early twenties) are not supposed to be “figured out” and drawn with a picture book story ending. Our twenties, I believe, is a decade meant for extraordinary growth. It’s a time in our lives where we have the most freedom and opportunity to find out exactly what it is that drives our passion for life. A time for us to travel, build new friendships, and find our place is in this abundant world. So, in honor of turning 24, I’m sharing 24 life lessons from my last 24 years. To all reading this and feeling lost, please know, you cannot disrupt your destiny, only pull yourself away from the journey a bit. To get back on your path, focus on yourself, your mindset, life, and all you love. The rest will fall into place.

24 Life Lessons from 24 Years

1. Time is our Most Valuable Asset: For us, time is not infinite but fleeting. It’s something we cannot measure, and we don’t know of an end. Every day on this Earth is a gift to continue building our lives, relationships, and dreams. Time is the most valuable of all our abundance, and it is our birthright to embrace every moment.

2. Everything Happens for a Reason: Life is happening for us, not to us. Despite heartache, trauma, and loss, our destiny is chosen for us. If you experience these things, even at their highest capacity, it’s because of your strength and resilience.

3. The Most Important Relationship in your Life is with Yourself: If you do not take care of yourself and put yourself first, your ability to take care of others falls behind. Always put your oxygen mask on first before helping others. 

4. Have Confidence: If you’re not confident in who you are and all that you bring to the table, you’re not sitting at the table. Confidence is your greatest weapon in a room of people who see you as inferior; prove them wrong.

5. Your Opinion is the Only One that Matters: Our self-worth is only determined by that which we find valuable in ourselves. Find value in the beauty of all that you are and embrace the unique qualities that make you stand out.

6. Comparison is the Thief of Joy: Stop comparing yourself to things outside your control and who you are. If you see something someone has that you want, congratulate them, figure out the steps to get there, and level up. You don’t compare where you can’t compete.

7. Live Intentionally: The foundation for a happy life is a life that builds foundation. Your daily habits and routines are the brick and mortar to your mindset. Live with purpose and intention daily, and you’ll manifest the life of your dreams. 

8. Have Gratitude: All that we have in our lives is a moment or sentiment to be grateful for. How inconvenient would our lives be without our front doors? When something does feel inconvenient, find gratitude in the moment. 

9. All Failure is a lesson in the Success of our Future: Our greatest ability as human beings is to learn from our failures and mistakes–to take the knowledge into a more guided future where that knowledge turns to application. 

10. You Can Always Choose Who is in Your Life: By expending energy on people who negatively affect you, you’re only enhancing their power over you. Expend your energy on those who uplift you, empower you, and support you. 

11. Shift Your Mindset: Grow in your ability to recognize “lack” mentality and difficult emotions. Always welcome your emotions, and if there is something in your life setting your mindset back, shift your perspective and change the outcome. 

12. Have Humility: There is always more to the story than meets the eye. Judgment is a mirror for our insecurities. Instead of judging, learn, ask questions, and grow. 

13. Life is not “All or Nothing”: There are steps in each journey we take. To reach the “all,” we have to build the foundation. Falling into an “all or nothing” way of thinking is a narrow depletion of our ability to succeed.

14. Learn: Consciously direct attention to that from which you gain knowledge and take opportunities to learn. The more we know, the more we can engage and become more skilled in all that we do. 

15. Let Go of the “How” & Trust in the Universe: You should always be in your power, but you don’t always need to be in control. Trust in the Universe to guide you in the direction in which you’d like to travel. 

16. Live in the Here and Now: If you have “expectation energy,” you are not present in your own life. Let the future excite you, but don’t allow it to be the only source of fulfillment for your happiness, joy, love, and abundance. 

17. Don’t Accept the 10%: Social media shows roughly 10% of our true reality, a highlight reel of the best moments of our lives. Don’t compare your life to those you think have the life you desire; odds are, it’s 10% of their reality. 

18. Have the Tough Conversations: We never know when someone may leave our lives. If you have something to say to someone, find the courage to say it. Living life with regret can be more painful than grief itself.

19. It’s Okay for Friendships to End: We grow, we change, we heal. From this journey, friendships and relationships may come to a natural end. It’s okay to release the hold and move on, wishing the person love and happiness.
    

20. You’re Always Where You’re Meant to be: The journey, however perfect or arduous, is the path we’re meant to be on. Trust in your destiny and in the universe to guide you to the moments you desire. 

21. Get Uncomfortable: The best moments of our lives will often happen beyond our comfort zone. Always push yourself to try new things and get uncomfortable. 

22. Embrace Your Zone of Genius: We all have our expertise in something. Find your expertise and build your knowledge. Become an expert in yourself and your passion.

23. You are Inherently Worthy of All You Desire: We are all inherently worthy. It is our birthright to abundance, happiness, love, and wealth (from the Camp of Deepak Chopra, Abraham Hicks, and more). 

24. You are the Power & Key to All You Desire: There is nothing beyond yourself that you need to achieve all you desire. Never let anyone or anything tell you of your worthiness. If you desire something, learn, grow, and fight for it.