How Should I Live Life in My 20s?

My 10 step guide to no regrets

I’m 23 years old. Recently, I’ve been questioning how I want to live life in my 20s. The past three years have been good, but I know I haven’t lived fully to my potential. I haven’t lived the lifestyle that I want for my 20s. What is that lifestyle? I’m glad you asked.

Before I answer, I wanted to say that this is a good question to ask yourself no matter what stage of life you’re in. Whether you’re in your 30s, 50s, 70s, or teens, it’s important to create a clear mental picture of what you’d like to get out of your respective life stage.

With that being said, in the past couple of months when I would ask myself how I wanted to spend my 20s, I had two parameters. (1) How can I spend my 20s so that I set a firm foundation for the rest of my life? (2) How can I spend my 20s so that when I look back, I view them fondly with a sense of pride and joy, knowing I experienced all that life had to offer?

The following list was my answer to these parameters:

1. Travel with purpose. This means travelling to learn about a new culture or study a new language. It could be travelling to meet interesting people, become a better person, or strengthen an existing relationship through shared novel experiences. When I travel, I want to have a reason for doing so, even if it’s just to de-stress by the ocean. Be mindful.

2. Take care of my body. My body can be either my freedom or my prison. It’s my avatar for moving through and interacting with the world. The best life I can live begins with taking care of my body and health. This requires consistent exercise and a healthy diet. The discipline gained from this then spreads to all areas of life as well. The body is the foundation for life.

3. Stop drinking alcohol… (or at least put some limits on it). I’m not in college anymore. The time of getting drunk 4 nights in a week is over. I want to choose my battles from here on out. On vacation with friends? Sure, have some drinks. Have fun. Wednesday night at home? Probably not. I’ve noticed my total productivity soars when I go a week or two without a drink. My sleep improves. I feel more confident. I look and feel better. And on top of all that, I save an incredible amount of money.

4. Go on dates and meet new people. This is mainly an issue about getting out of my comfort zone. I want my 20s to be a time of discovery and venturing into the world. I think it’s important to make new friends and learn how to date during my 20s.

5. Cultivate a solid friend group with similar life values. We all know that we’re the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with. So, we should be very cognizant of who those people are around us.

6. Be financially independent. There’s two steps to this that I want to accomplish. The first is to simply make enough money at a job so I can support myself. The second is to start a business that makes enough money to support myself without needing a job.

7. Take care of my appearance. This is simple but important. I want to be worthy of whatever attention people give me. This means keeping my beard trimmed, smelling good, flossing, and dressing nice (to name a few). First impressions are big. I want to be confident in how I present myself.

8. Face what scares me. This is one that will change my life. The greatest rewards are often on the other side of what scares us. “You don’t get the gold without first facing the dragon.” Examples would include starting a business, introducing myself to a girl, or posting my writings online (who would do that?).

9. Get involved in a meaningful cause. My 20s are probably going to be my time with the least responsibility, so why not use this free time to volunteer or help people? I want to find what cause I find meaningful and then help how I can.

10. Stop wasting time on pointless activities. Pointless activities include Social Media, TV, YouTube, or Video Games. The amount of time I spend on these activities is absurd. Instead, what I should do is use that time on productive activities that I enjoy. This could be playing basketball, reading, writing, or simply having a conversation with friends or family. LIVE IN THE MOMENT.

As stated by a an author on Quora:

“Live life on your own terms. Don’t do things because you think you should. Don’t do what other people tell you to do. Don’t sit around waiting to start living your life. This life belongs to you and no one else. You will not get a chance to do it again. Live it on your terms.”