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The 20s are a rich learning experience.
By Unwritten — Written on Dec 26, 2019
By Bea C. Pilotin
As I’ve grown and changed throughout my life, I’ve learned many valuable lessons that I’m proud to carry with me today.
Here are a few of the most valuable life lessons you’ll learn in your twenties.
1. Our pain is valid.
Life is thorny, and life’s pain may be difficult for others to understand. Some people may think that we don’t have the right to break down, even though our pain is killing us inside.
But we need to remember that no matter what other people say about how we react to our emotional pain, our distress is valid. And in turn, we need to remember that no matter how dramatic everyone else’s heartbreak may seem, their pain is valid, too.
2. Always find reasons to love.
Our hearts react with love for a reason, so we should always find ways to share our love with others.
No matter how others break our hearts, we shouldn’t give up on expressing our love, even when it seems irrational. Our love will heal us and those around us, too.
3. We are beautiful in our brokenness.
We may see ourselves as broken, but even in our brokenness, we are beautiful. Even shards of broken glass can gleam, and we’re the same way — gleaming with rays of hope.
4. The best things in life don’t come easily.
It’s natural to feel discouraged when we face rejection, but we should never give up on our dreams. After all, 12 publishers rejected J.K Rowling’s original Harry Potter manuscript, but her series soon became an international phenomenon. And Jack London received over 600 rejections before he sold his first story.
Our greatest successes come after our harshest failures, as long as we’re willing to learn from our mistakes and try again.
5. Don’t beg for love.
It’s tempting to chase after people who we know will never love us back. But if we learn one thing in this life, it’s that we need to stop giving our hearts to people who aren’t ready to love us.
When we let go of the people who will never provide us with happiness, we’ll feel free, and our hearts will remain open to true love.
6. Time heals all wounds.
Life breaks our hearts, but it also gives us the opportunity to stitch our hearts back together. Healing only comes with time, but welcoming our pain as it comes will help us mend our emotional wounds.
7. Let go and move forward.
Although it’s scary, we should let go of our fears and break free from our comfort zones. Once we let go of our fears, we can move forward into genuine happiness.
8. Love is all around us.
When we stop searching so desperately for love, it will find us. After all, love is all around us, and it comes to us freely.
9. Forgive with an open heart.
Forgiveness paves the way for a more beautiful, fulfilling life. When we forgive, we can let go of our pain and open our hearts to the power of love and acceptance.
10. Live with gratitude.
No matter how hard your life is, be thankful for everything you have. Find little things to be grateful for, from your spiritual relationships to your first cup of coffee each morning. Most importantly, we should give thanks for the love we receive and the people who touch our lives.
My twenties have taught me so many valuable lessons that I hope to carry with me for the rest of my life. If you’re in your twenties, be open to following these pieces of advice so that you’ll continue learning and growing.
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Bea C. Pilotin is a writer who focuses on self-care, self-love, and health and wellness. For more of her self-love content, visit her author profile on Unwritten.
This article was originally published at Unwritten. Reprinted with permission from the author.