MEN&WOMEN: Getting it right in youthful decisions
Making the right decisions in your 20s and 30s can make huge difference to your whole life. ILLUSTRATION| IGAH
What you need to know:
- Avoid comparing yourself to others, believe in yourself, and don’t be afraid to push yourself forward.
- And you know what? Almost everyone feels just as insecure as you!
Making the right decisions in your 20s and 30s can make huge difference to your whole life. So what must you get right then?
Stay physically active and avoid junk food. You’ll pay for slobbing out in your youth with years of dieting. And regular exercise will reduce health issues in future, especially your risk of heart disease.
You probably worry far too much about what other people are thinking about you. Because in reality, few people notice much about you! Figure that out early and you can stop worrying about looking like an idiot.
Avoid comparing yourself to others, believe in yourself, and don’t be afraid to push yourself forward. And you know what? Almost everyone feels just as insecure as you! So if you make a point of helping others feel comfortable, you’ll be very popular.
Live simply and spend less than you earn. Especially avoid building up debts, or you’ll be paying them off all your life. And start investing. Because the earlier you start, the higher the returns. Even saving a few shillings a month makes a huge difference.
It’s also important to keep your investments flexible while you’re young, so that you can change course easily and grab unexpected opportunities. Like taking a job overseas before responsibilities tie you down. A spell working abroad can change your whole perspective on life – and do wonders for your CV.
Spend some time living alone, and develop self sufficiency before you settle down with someone else. Figuring out what you’re capable of achieving as an individual, and learning to enjoy your own company, will have a big impact on later relationships.
These days, most people in their 20s and early 30s don’t take dating seriously enough. You should, because a good marriage can lead to a lifetime of happiness. So use your early relationships to help you learn what you need in a partner. And how to evaluate them. So when the time comes to marry, you can consciously choose who you want, rather than just settling for someone who seems willing. And when should you marry? Research suggests that people who marry in their late 20s have happier marriages than those who marry later. So get going!
Don’t let other people – especially your parents – make your life choices for you. Go for what you want. Resist living the way society expects young people to live and do your own thing.
Learn how to see the difference between friends and drinking buddies. Drive courteously – you don’t have to own the whole road. And above all, make time to do the things you love doing, no matter how busy you are. Better yet, turn what you love doing into your profession.
Work so hard at what you love doing that you get to be amazing at it. Because once word gets around that you’re brilliant at something, you’ll be in real demand. And your life will never be the same again!
