28 Life Lessons You Should Know By 28

Life has a funny way of teaching us some incredible lessons as we grow up. In fact, as every birthday comes to a close, it can be a valuable time to look back at all the incredible lessons that you have learned throughout the years that you have been alive.

Since my birthday was last week, here is a simple list of all the things that I have learned in my 28 years of life.

1. Smile as often as you can. It can do wonders for your mood and the mood of others as well.
2. Be kind to everyone. Kindness is contagious.
3. Call your grandparents. They won’t always be in your life. Connecting with your grandparents can make you appreciate life in general.
4. Just stop worrying. Life is terribly short and needs to be enjoyed. Forget about worrying about the future and learn to live in the present moment.
5. Forgiveness can be healing. Holding onto grudges can be toxic and harmful to our mental health. That is exactly why it is so essential to release our long-held grudges and forgive whoever may have hurt us in the past.
6. Start saving money as soon as possible. Even just $5 a month can add up if you save consistently. Who knows what emergency situation may arise?
7. Take time out for self-care. While it can be terribly easy to want to be and do everything for everyone else, we need to remember that we can’t show up for others unless we take care of ourselves first.
8. Hard work really does pay off. Nothing comes easy. We need to work hard to enjoy the more luxurious things in life.
9. Travel frequently. Exploring the world is important. Being open to a variety of cultures and people makes you much more interesting.
10. Happiness can only be found within yourself. Once you realize that happiness can not be attained from any external source you can accept your situation for exactly what it is which frees you to live your best life.
11. Always remember that comparison is the ultimate thief of joy. There is no need to feel less than. Remember that you are enough exactly as you are.
12. Disconnecting from social media can be a welcome release. You don’t need to always share what is going on in your life with the world. Getting some downtime from our devices can be just what we need every once in a while.
13. Blood is thicker than water. Remember that family is everything. They will always be there for you whenever things go awry. Maintaining family connections is crucial as we age.
14. Explore. Spending time in nature is important as we age. Finding peace through the outdoors can be magical.
15. Live in the present moment. Stop reliving the past or fearing for the future. Instead, choose to enjoy every single moment as it comes.
16. Everything will work out in the end.
17. Balance is key. This is especially true when it comes to a work-life balance.
18. The universe has your back. No matter what.
19. Do what makes your soul happy. Doing what you love is the only way you can cultivate happiness in your life.
20. Embracing your quirks frees your mind. Living a life that is unique is important for your well-being and mental health.
21. Be kind to yourself. It can be so easy to be our own worst critic. Listening to that positive voice can really do wonders for our overall happiness.
22. You have no control over other people’s emotions. The only person you can control is yourself. So choose happiness daily.
23. Just because someone is good to you doesn’t mean they are good for you.
24. Never settle in relationships.
25. Timing is everything. Sometimes we meet people who might be great for us but they live halfway across the country.
26. Relationships are not easy. They require work and compromise.
27. Perfection does not exist. It is critical that you finally stop looking for it.
28. Choose to only spend your time with people who lift you up. There is simply no need to surround yourself with negative energy.

As we grow up life has a magical way of letting us know what is important and what isn’t. Leaving things behind becomes a natural part of aging. As we start to find ourselves on this journey of life, we can start to witness all the miracles happening on the regular.