20 Things You Probably Need To Hear In Your Twenties

Like "Don’t let anyone tell you millennials are the worst."

1. Don’t let anyone tell you millennials are the worst.

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There’s a media narrative that says millennials are entitled and narcissistic, but what it doesn’t tell you is that twenty years ago, Generation X'ers were described as self-involved slackers, and twenty years before that young people were no good long hairs who didn’t appreciate the sacrifices of their parents and grandparents. The reality is that every young generation gets criticized by the previous generation.

2. You look great.

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Nowadays you may look in the mirror and focus on your faults, but in 15-20 years you will look back at photos from today and see none of those things. Instead, you'll think, "I looked great! Why didn't I appreciate myself more?”

3. Stop taking so many risks.

MTV

You probably think you did all of your crazy, irresponsible things in your teens, but one day you might look back at your twenties and cringe at the risks you took. You might not be doing donuts in the high school parking lot anymore, but if you're drinking and driving or engaging in risky sexual behavior, you're putting yourself in every bit as much danger.

4. If anything inside of you is telling you that you might have a problem with drugs or alcohol, address it now.

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Addressing a problem like this is hard — especially when so much of your social life probably revolves around going to bars, clubs, and parties — but if you wait it will only get worse. Do yourself a favor and take control now.

5. You have skills older people don't — exploit them.

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Your understanding of technology, social media, and modern forms of communication, for example, is much stronger than the average older person. Don’t be afraid to highlight these things on your resume or to use them to add value at your job.

6. If you don't know something, don’t announce it to the world.

NBC

If you can find the answer to a question by Googling it, you should. Announcing to your older co-workers that you don’t know who, say, Mikhail Gorbachev is won't win you any points with them.

7. Your parents miss and worry about you more than you think.

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You might think, “I’m an adult! My parents don't worry about me!” but they probably do — especially if you’re on your own in another city. In their eyes you’re still fairly new to this adulthood thing, and that worries them. Plus, they love you! So, if you feel like you could call or text more, you probably should.

8. You should support your friends' and co-workers' accomplishments instead of being jealous or overly competitive.

Fox

Like it or not, the people in your circle now are going to be some of your best contacts in life. It may not always feel great when someone accomplishes something before you do, but if you sincerely cheer their success (instead of reacting jealously), they’ll likely to do the same for you one day — and maybe even use their new position to help you get there.

9. Realize that “long term” isn’t really that long — especially when it comes to goals.

NBC

Let’s say you dream of taking a trip somewhere fun (London?) but don’t have the two grand it'd take to do it. Well, getting that two grand is pretty attainable if you commit to putting aside just ten dollars a week for four years. Of course, in your twenties four years seems like a long time. But guess what? Those four years will fly by faster than you think, and one day you'll wake up and realize that if you’d only done the ten bucks a week thing you’d now be London bound.

10. Don’t think that good things will never happen to you.

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Life is a long road. Ten years from now you might have that job you want, be married with kids, or have accomplished whatever else it is you want to accomplish. Sure, you may feel lost right now, but if you stay positive, keep plugging away, and remain open to possibilities, good things can happen.

11. If your gut is telling you someone isn’t right for you, trust it.

SBS

People often stay in relationships because they're afraid of hurting their partner's feelings or because they're hoping they might change. But time is short even when you're young, and if you feel something isn't working you owe it to yourself to move on.

12. Don’t try so hard to make people like the things you like.

Lions Gate

Introducing people to things you care about can be fun, but not everyone is going to be a super fan like you. If your favorite band is coming to town but no one wants to go with you, consider going alone. You’ll have a lot more fun than if you drag along someone who isn’t into it. In the end, if you like it, that’s all that matters.

13. Don’t waste time wallowing in self pity.

MGM

It's okay to be upset when things don't go your way, but you don't want to dwell on it. Instead, focus on doing something positive right away. Bummed because you’re out of shape? Take a walk. Upset your writing was rejected? Start writing something new. Being proactive will start you down the road to feeling better.

14. Don't worry about what people think so much.

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One of the best parts of getting older is no longer caring what people think. Ever see an old lady wearing curlers at the supermarket? It's because she doesn’t care what anyone thinks! And while you may not want to follow her lead exactly, you should feel free to be who you really are no matter what anyone might think.

15. Don't waste so much energy hating people.

Paramount

Yes, there were some real jerks in high school, and your ex could have handled things better. But the only person you’re hurting by continuing to hold resentment is yourself. Let go of your grudges and for the love of all that is holy stop looking at their Facebook pages! It’s negative energy you don’t need.

16. Don't let drama take over your life.

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By the time you reach your thirties you’ll have had enough of the unwanted stress drama brings into your life. You don't need to wait that long to have a "drama exorcism," though, even if it means cutting some people out of your life.

17. Don’t feel bad about saying, “No.”

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You’ve probably gone on a date, promised a favor, or taken on a commitment you didn’t want to take. Well, stop! There’s no reason to put yourself through that. Saying “no” may be hard at first, but it will get easier — and people will respect you for it in the long run.

18. Listen to what older people have to say.

20th Century Fox

When you’re young it’s easy to dismiss what older people have to say, but they’ve been on this earth a lot longer than you and you can learn a lot from them. As someone once said, "Listen to your elders' advice. Not because they are always right, but because they have more experience being wrong." Even if you don’t take their advice you’d be wise to consider it — and odds are that, as you get older, you’ll see that what they said made a lot more sense than you realized.

19. At the same time, don’t be afraid to follow your inner voice.

NBC

While wisdom is important, people in their twenties possess dynamic thinking, energy, and innovation that many older people lack. So don't be afraid to speak up or lead no matter how many gray hairs are in the room.

20. Don’t worry so much about getting older.

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Getting older isn’t so bad. You’re still you, just with a whole lot more of your stuff figured out!