5 Things I've Learned In 22 Years

YESTERDAY WAS MY BIRTHDAY!!! AHH!! I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 22…

21 was exciting (not for the drinking aspect, but just because it felt very adult to be able to go wherever I please), and 22 feels like I am really IN my 20s now. Granted, I still can’t rent a car without being charged an additional fee since I’m not 25, which is just ridiculous, but I digress.

For the past two years I’ve done a list of 5 lessons I’ve learned, and I’ve realized that they are just as applicable today as when I wrote them. What words of wisdom young Alyssa had that you should take a look at from 20 and 21. Now this year I have 5 more lessons to share as a sage at 22 years old 😉

01. Growth comes from discomfort

This is my 2017 mantra and it is something I am constantly learning and striving towards. From becoming more vulnerable in relationships, to putting yourself in challenging academic and career situations, the only way to continue to grow and improve is to embrace discomfort. When change comes your way it is ok to be scared, but it is by testing yourself and seeing if you sink or swim that you will discover the most.

02. You never know how much you’ll love something until you try

I had absolutely no idea how much Manhattan would capture my heart when I interned there this summer. Nor did I have any idea how delicious ethnic food (like, all types of ethnic food from Indian, to Cuban, to Japanese) was until I decided to give everything a go. Being willing to try new things and staying open minded can bring you wonderful results.

03. If you want to have friends, keep money, religious, and political topics to a minimum

While I am all for open communication and being honest with friends I learned this year that sometimes it is better to avoid certain topics. There are, of course, people you can engage in this type of conversation with, but overall it is better to steer clear of topics that evoke much emotion and put people on opposite sides. It would certainly be great to be able to have conversations on these topics and to leave the emotion at the door, but that is not always possible. There are countless, meaningful things you can talk about so don’t worry about phasing out these sort of conversations.

04. Once again, experiences always trump physical things

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times: I believe in spending money on experiences over things. Just taking a look over my 2016 year end recap you can see that everything that comes up is an experience; you never hear mention of physical items. As I’ve gotten older it is something I’ve realized will always hold true, and it is a reminder that I am working towards gaining more and more experiences. By prioritizing spending money on events you can gain more enjoyment from your dollars and the fulfillment you feel will last for many years with the memories you create.

05. Most situations will work out, so worrying is useless

Because I like to be in control it is often challenging for me when I face a situation I can not easily impact or solve. This causes me to worry and fret and vent to my poor mother for far too long. However, what I am learning is that most situations will not have a long term negative impact and that worrying will not solve anything. It is far better to do what you can and move on to the next problem than to dwell.

So there you have it: 5 lessons from my 22 years on this earth!

What had you learned at 22? What advice would you have for someone my age?

-AJF

01. Growth comes from discomfort

02. You never know how much you’ll love something until you try

03. If you want to have friends, keep money, religious, and political topics to a minimum

04. Once again, experiences always trump physical things

05. Most situations will work out, so worrying is useless

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