Lesson 1: The words you speak become the house you live in

Watch what you say. Sometimes, we say things jokingly; sometimes, we say them hoping they’ll actually happen. Nonetheless, watch what you say, for it may come true. This comes from someone who’s spoken a lot into existence in just the past few months.

Lesson 2: Public speaking is an essential life skill; invest in it

People are getting paid thousands of dollars to speak on topics they’re passionate about and are experts in. When you realize your hours are worth more than $30 an hour or whatever the amount is, the world will open up for you. You set the value of your time. Even if you don’t want to be a paid public speaker, speaking is essential to help you grow in any career.

Lesson 3: Never lose faith

God always has bigger plans in store for you. When I was working as a recruiter, I was constantly overwhelmed. However, we know that sometimes there’s a specific reason for these challenges. I prayed to God, “If this job was meant for me, then allow me to stay there, and if not, allow me to find a better opportunity.” One week later, a better opportunity presented itself. God always has your back. Pray consistently, and he will always answer your prayers.

Lesson 4: Make choices that reflect who you are and who you want to become

You can’t get to where you want to be without taking deliberate, consistent action. You can’t expect results without putting in the work. Be consistent in doing what you say you will do; it’ll pay off. It will be challenging, but you can choose “your hard” now or live “your hard” later.

Lesson 5: Take care of your health

If you feel something is wrong, check in with your doctor and keep digging until you get the answers you’re looking for, especially if you’re lucky enough to have affordable healthcare. Take advantage while you do. Some people wish they would’ve addressed issues sooner, but now they can’t because they’ll fall thousands of dollars into debt because they may not have health insurance. 

Lesson 6: Don’t settle for the bare minimum 

Everything in life is a choice. If you settle for a job offering the bare minimum or a partner or friendship offering the bare minimum, you’ll receive bare minimum results and experiences. You deserve more than that. Great people, jobs, and experiences exist, but you can’t continue settling. You set the bar for how the world treats you.

Lesson 7: Set up a retirement plan for your parents if they don’t have one

As many of you know, I’m the first-generation daughter of two immigrants who didn’t have the opportunity to learn anything about financial literacy. Now, it’s up to me to help set them up with retirement accounts later in life despite them being at retirement age. Better late than never. Our parents deserve a life of ease after working for so long. If you have the opportunity to support them in creating a specific strategy tailored to them, do it. 

Lesson 8: Become okay with being disliked

As a Libra, this is hard to say because we want to be liked by everyone, but the truth is that not everyone will be your biggest fan. That’s okay; focus on the people who support you and want to see you win. Do you think if successful people concentrate on the folks who don’t like them, they’d be where they are now?

Lesson 9: Learn from people further along than you

Many people I see as my mentors don’t even know I exist. I chose these specific people because they’re further along than I am, and I look up to them. They have the wisdom to share that my life experiences perhaps haven’t allowed me to learn yet. An example of this in my life would be consuming content from Tabitha Brown and Lisa Nichols because these are two people I deeply respect and aspire to be like as I grow older.

Lesson 10: Be intentional with what you’re consuming

This can be meant in the physical sense of the food you eat, but for this blog post, I am referring to the media, the music and sounds, and the people’s words you consume. Be intentional with what you listen to and participate in. These words create beliefs in your mind that are for better or for worse. Water your garden appropriately.

Lesson 11: You are the sun

Above all, remember that you are the center of your life, the sun in your universe. Do things for you, pour into you. There are other priorities as we age, but always remember that if you’re not doing well, nothing else matters.

Lesson 12: Figure out what you want, not what you think you want

A lot of us are chasing dreams curated by social media. We see our “favorite influencers living their best lives” and believe that’s what we want, but maybe it’s not. Figure out what you want. Perhaps a peaceful day for you is going on a long walk, stopping to read a book in the park, or having a picnic. It may not be an expensive trip to a random location and spending thousands on clothes and food. 

Lesson 13: The gift may come wrapped in sandpaper

View every opportunity as a stepping stone to the next opportunity. Earlier this year, I was in a tight predicament: no job, moving out, cousin’s wedding, no apartment or job lined up after my lease ended. In retrospect, I recognize that this is precisely what needed to happen. This time gap, when I didn’t work and had no apartment lined up, allowed me to put my stuff in storage, travel to Thailand and Malaysia for two weeks, and return home to a job. I did not enjoy the job and used this as a stepping stone to my new role. Many of the skills learned at my old job helped me be more successful in my next role. Allow God to take control. Things will work out.

Lesson 14: Legacy will outlive any small mistake you make

No one will remember the incorrect image you put on a presentation when you pass away. They are going to remember how you made them feel and how you interacted with them. This is how we create our legacy daily. Lean into that immortality (crazy to say this out loud); time is promised to no one, so don’t sweat the small stuff. Live while you’re alive. 

Lesson 15: Stop tying your self-worth to your work

Again, everyone is replaceable; stop pouring more than you need to into a place that can get rid of you in a second if necessary. No job is secure. The most secure thing you have is yourself. Never question your worth as it pertains to the output of your work.

Lesson 16: Pray to keep it

Once you get the thing you were praying about wanting, pray to keep it. Whether it’s the money, the health, the promotion, the family, the partner, etc., pray to keep it.

Lesson 17: Time is one of the most valuable assets we have

Use your time wisely. If you recognize the power of time and how limited it becomes as you grow older, you’ll reconsider how you use every minute of your day. Don’t put off the things you want to do; tomorrow may not come. 

Lesson 18: Pay off your debt 

We’ve all been there saying: I’ll pay off my credit card when I get paid, and then it doesn’t happen. Get into the habit of paying down your credit card debt as soon as possible. If you can pay more than the minimum, do so. Bonus tip: You can call credit card companies to see if they can lower your interest rate. My financial advisor taught me this one.

Lesson 19: Take more pictures

Pictures hold memories. Take more of them. There are times I wish I had taken more pictures. For example, when reminiscing about college, I was so stuck on how big I was and the confidence I lacked. Now, all I have are the memories stored in my head. Take pictures of pretty sunsets, of your friends, and of your family members. Whatever brings you joy, just take the pictures. Google Photos got you with the storage.

Lesson 20: You don’t need to have it all together

You don’t have to make it seem like you have it all together on social media. None of us have it all together. That’s one of the things that makes us all human. Not having it all together allows us to bond more because nobody is perfect, and when you try to be seen as perfect, it comes across as disingenuous. 

Lesson 21: Travel

Life is too short to stay where you were born. Experience other cultures, languages, and people. The world is beautiful, and you deserve to immerse yourself in it.

Lesson 22: Stay positive

Staying positive doesn’t mean ignoring all the negative things around you. It means that even while enduring difficult times, you know better days are ahead. The storm can only last so long.

Lesson 23: Stop letting a negative incident ruin your whole day

Was it a bad 10 minutes? Was it a bad commute to work, or was it an actual bad day? Also, a bad day doesn’t equal a bad week or life. Don’t be so gloomy. You can’t rewrite the past, but you can focus on what the future will look like.

Lesson 24: Invest in your wardrobe

Leveling up my style this past year and wearing pieces I feel more confident in, which allows me to express my personality more, has been a blessing. When you feel good, you look good, and vice versa. It doesn’t have to be expensive pieces unless you want them to be, but I buy a lot of sale pieces from Old Navy, Shein (please look at the reviews before buying some thin piece of cloth), Express, and Banana Republic.

Lesson 25: Read as much as you can

There’s so much knowledge and experience in books. Nothing a good book can’t fix. Have a bad day? Read a book. Need some inspiration? Read a book. Books hold so many gems.

Lesson 26: Declutter your space

Get rid of things you don’t use/need anymore. I’ve made it a habit that every time I buy new clothes or shoes, I donate them or throw them out if they’re no longer suitable. This keeps my space and mind clutter-free and makes room for more. This will also be useful when you eventually move to a new space.