Your twenties are exciting, full of opportunities and new experiences. It’s the time that you’ll be learning about yourself and working towards solidifying your career. The investments you need to make now will help you become more secure in who you are, so you can know what you need and want in all areas of life, later on.
In the last few years, I’ve invested in myself in so many ways. I’ve taken classes in different fields, travelled the world, started my own blog and more. All of which have been extremely exhilarating and transformative in my life, and so I’ve put together a list of my favourite ways that you can invest in yourself in your 20s and can hopefully transform yours!
Whether it’s a language or an instrument, your twenties are the perfect time to start learning a new skill. Learning is also nourishing, rewarding, and for a troubled mind, it can be therapeutic. There are numerous benefits from learning a new skill such as:
You may have hidden talents you never knew existed in you, or you were aware but never really considered the possibility of trying them out. Your 20s is the perfect time to experiment, get out of your comfort zone and test yourself, even if you fail. After all, that’s what life is about. Experiment. Learn. Repeat!
Having a broader skill set makes you more versatile to transition into different roles and sideways moves to advance your career and potential earnings. It could create a whole new career path too! Many people I know have started learning a new hobby that then ultimately becomes their new career. Others have studied half of their lives a specific profession, only to find out their hobby is their true passion.
Either way, it will open new doors for you!
As demand for skills is constantly adapting to new technologies and job requirements in our society, people constantly need to enhance their ability to adapt to new situations and even acquire new skills. That responsibility for skills development will not only fuel you with knowledge but get you to respond to situations with flexibility, innovation and creativity.
I personally find that “multiskilling” as one of the greatest satisfactions!
It can be anyone from someone whose work you admire, a therapist, life coach or one in each field. Finding the right mentor for your profession aside from making sure they are related to your field, also look for someone that is already aware of your work and abilities, as they will be more effecting at mentoring you. If you mention your specific personal goals from the beginning, your mentor can help you stay on track.
It’s good to keep in mind that no “one” mentor can help you achieve all of your goals. Maybe one mentor can help you consider a path to leadership because they are a supervisor. Maybe another can help with technical skills specific to making a job change, another mentor may help you practice self-reflection and awareness to discover your unlimited potential. There is no right or wrong number of mentors as you progress through your 20s. They can be a guide when you're unsure, and you will definitely appreciate the assist later on.
Whether that’s yoga, walking, dance, the way you treat your body in your twenties sets the stage for the body you’ll have in your thirties, forties, and fifties. Now is the time to ensure better health for the rest of your life — this includes choosing to fuel your body with the right foods, as well as making time for any type of exercise you truly enjoy.
In fact, reading is one of the main contributors toward success, after all most successful people are readers and that’s because high achievers are keen on self-improvement.
Reading fiction can help you be more open-minded and creative, self-healing books put you on a path where you can practice strategies learned and make improvements in your life, career development books show us the necessary things that can make us better and how we can accomplish our goals and improve our skills significantly.
In my experience, reading books has definitely built a higher sense of confidence in me - over time - that has helped me to get out of almost any challenging situation as I learned the skill of relying on myself which is fundamental in your twenties.
They say old friends are the best, and I agree. In my life I have preferred myself to be surrounded with age groups older than my own due to many factors. Conversations, music, wisdom, fun and so many more. Their lives have chapters that are filled with intrigue, tragedy, pleasure, success, survival and their advice is irreplaceable. It’s something that has happened naturally for me as I was always the youngest one of the group. However, I do believe that our age is counted by our experiences and gaining advice from older counterparts can provide you with many merits as well as show you what they have “regrreted” in their own life decisions. So when you receive an advice take some quiet time to reflect, understand your own beliefs as well and deeply listen to your instinct.
The best cultural education, reality check and inspiration in everything is by travelling or living abroad. Travel helps make the unfamiliar familiar, challenging assumptions and stereotypes that often colour our view of the world. Travel keeps our minds “flexible” because it challenges our set ways of doing and seeing things, and when you move to a foreign county in your twenties, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to grow. It’s the perfect time for you to be exposing yourself to different ways of thinking. International life is full of pleasant surprises and unforeseen rewards.
Of course, this might change as life changes but once you’ve established who you want to be professionally, you will naturally surround yourself with people who have similar goals and work ethics. The main purpose of this, is to not be afraid to get out there and attend conferences, purse volunteer opportunities and find ways to build connections with other like-minded people as it will lead to more substantial discussions and opportunities for stronger and deeper relationships on both a professional and personal level.
In the end of the day no matter what age you are, you still have plenty of time to make some formative investments in yourself, your career and your life, but your 20s are often a great transitionary phase. For many, this is a time dedicated to self-discovery, learning about life at a lightning speed, and entering what may start to feel like your first stage of “real life” and getting started early on, will help establish your thought patterers and life.
Lots of love,
x Katerina