Things to know before entering your 20s

Coming into my twenties myself this year, I have decided to indulge in what life lessons I should consider before diving head first into my new decade... and probably landing on my arse. For some, it is the decade of tying the knot with our childhood sweetheart, buying our first house, or even bringing new life into the world. 

But for most of us, it is the decade of still not knowing our limits (for some of us), hopping from job to job in hopes to find what we actually enjoy (fingers crossed), and probably booking multiple holidays and spending money we don't have (totally worth it though, right?) - but hey, we're just trying to find our place in the world.

So nevertheless, here are some words from some wise women on the most important life lessons your twenties can teach you. 

Friendships:

"It's okay to let go of friendships that don't make you happy..."

"You'll grow out of friendships that you made in school, and that's okay. It's perfectly normal for friendships to end for no reason as you're not the same people that you were. It's okay to let go of friendships that don't make you happy, and for the sake of your mental health, you should. Don't hang on to friendships that are dying just because you've known that person throughout your teenage years. You deserve to be happy."

-Emma, 24

Health:

"Always make your health a priority."

"Always make your health a priority. If you have any symptoms you're concerned about then don't ever put off going to the doctors, and don't dismiss your anxieties because you think you're 'too young' to have anything seriously wrong with you. Chances are everything will be fine, but it's always worth getting checked out."

-Samantha, 29

"Use SPF daily...think of how smug you can be when you're 30 and still look 20."

"Get yourself a good skincare routine and use SPF daily! The sun is the main cause of skin ageing and damage. Your skin is great at the mo so take care of it so it still looks good further down the line. Think of how smug you can be when you're 30 and still look 20."

-Rhianna, 27

Self-Love:

"Have no regrets-"

"Have no regrets. Let's face it - you made a choice, it may not have turned out like you thought and you might wonder what life would be like if you'd made a different choice. Don't. You will drive yourself crazy. Life is too short to ponder on what could be."

-Lindsay, 34

www.lattelindsay.com

"It's okay not to have everything figured out."

"It's okay not to have everything figured out; you still have time to decide what to do with your life - so be open to change."

-Maria, 26

"Trust. Your. Gut!"

"Trust. Your. Gut! It has no ulterior motive. Oh and NEVER chase someone - you never forget to get in touch with someone you're interested in."

-Gemma, 28

Patience is a virtue:

"Don't rush into anything-"

"Don't rush into anything. You've got the rest of your life to decide on things before jumping head first into them."

-Sarah, 34

Work & Money:

"Perhaps your career doesn't exist yet!"

"If you don't know what you want to do with your life yet, don't worry. Perhaps your career doesn't even exist yet! I'm a SEO manager and blogger and that wasn't a thing when I was a teenager. I'm 35 now and only just figured things out."

-Jenni, 35

"The freedom that money will buy you in 20-30 years time will be priceless."

"Save money - yes it's dull but put anything you can regularly into an account you can't touch. The freedom money will buy you in 20-30 years time will be priceless."

-Kat, 42

Some pretty wise words there, right? 

It's clear that the main message from these ladies is not to rush anything and that you don't need everything figured out by the time you reach your 30s. In fact, do we ever really have it all figured out?

Change is the only constant and there will be endless opportunities, so it's important to remind ourselves to enjoy the present and learn from every situation. 

Here's to chapter 20.