有很多事情和道理，我们多希望大人能在我们年幼时告诉我们，可是没有。也许他们觉得还不成熟的我们无法接受，也许他们认为必须亲身体验才能够体会。

TherearesomanythingsIwishIhadknownwhilegrowingup.Nooneevertellsyouthehardtruthsoflife.Maybeit’sbecausetheycan’tstomachit,ormaybeit’sbecausetheythinkit’sjustsomethingyouhavetoexperiencefirsthandtounderstand.Herearetwentythingsnobodytoldyouwhilegrowingupthatwould’vebeennicetoknowbeforehand:

1.You’reGoingtoSpendALotofTimeFiguringStuffOut

Unlessyou’reoneoftheluckyfewwhoalreadyknowswhattheirpassionisandwhatyoureallyenjoy,youwillbespendingalotoftimetryingnewthingsandfiguringoutwhatyou’regoodatandwhatyoulike.Don’tbeafraidtotrynewthingsandfailatthem;failingbuildscharacter.Youhavealotofgrowinguptodoinyour20s,alotofself-examinationandexploration.Usethistimewiselytogettoknowyourselfasbestasyoucan–notthatyouwon’tchangeasyoucontinuetogetolder,butit’sdefinitelyatimeofdiscovery,gettingtoknowoneselfandwhatyouwantinthisworldandwhatyouhavetocontributetotheworld.

2.Don’tExpectSmoothSeas

Therewillbemanychallenges,obstaclesandcurveballsswungyourway.Justtrytotakelifeasitcomes.Don’tfightagainstthecurrentbecauseyou’lljustwearyourselfout.Ifthere’sadoorthatisstandingwideopenforyouandanotherthatyou’retryingtogetthroughbyknockingitdown,sometimesit’sbesttotakethedoorthat’salreadyopenforyou.Inotherwordsdon’ttrytobesomeone/somethingyou’renot.

3.LearnAboutPersonalFinanceNow

Learnhowtobudgetandmanageyourmoney,howtoopenachecking/savingsaccount,andhowtousecreditwiselyandlivewithinyourmeans.Yourfutureselfwillthankyouforit.Buyqualityitemsyoucankeeparoundforalongtimetocome,notcheapcrapthatbreaksthatyou’llhavetobuyagaininayear.Investinyourself,youreducation,yourpersonalimprovement,yourhealthandyourrelationshipstoothers.

4.AssumeChangeWillCome

Lifeisaboutchange;don’tfightitandjustgowithit.Learnfromyourmistakesandgrow.Letgoofthingsyoucan’tchange.Sometimeschangewillbesopainfulyouwillwanttoripyourheartout,butyou’llbeokayifyoujusthangonandknowthatnomatterwhathappens,youwillbealright.Win,loseordraw,lifewillgoonandyou’llgetanotherchancetostartyourlifeoverifthingshaven’tgoneaccordingtoplan.

5.KeepYourPlansLoose

Speakingofplans,keepthemlooseandflexible.It’sgoodtohaveanideaofthingsyouwanttoaccomplishandwhereyouwanttobeacoupleyearsdowntheroad,buthonestlynooneknowswhat’sgoingtohappentomorrow,letalone5yearsfromnow.It’sfinetomakesomeplansbutbeflexibleandwillingtochangethem.Rememberthatpeoplechangeandthingshappenthatwillpushyouinonedirectionoranother.Don’twastetimebeatingyourselfupbecauseyourplansdidn’tgothewayyouwanted.Don’tworryaboutthingsyoucan’tchange;focusonmakingnewplans/goalsandwhereyouwillgofromhere.

6.TimeIsaLimitedResource

Nothinglastsforever.Enjoyeverymomentthatyouhave.Enjoylifeandpracticebeingpresentinthemomentbecauseitgoesbyextremelyfast.Therewillbebothgoodandbadtimes.Thebadthingaboutupisthere’salwaysadown.It’simportanttoreallyenjoyandsavorthegoodmomentsinlifebecauseyou’llneedthosememoriestoreflectbackonwhenthebadtimescome.Thefirst10yearsafterhighschoolgobyatabreakneckspeedandbeforeyouknowityou’re28andwonderinghowthetimehasescapedyou.

7.LifeisHard

Whenyou’reateenager,you’rejustatthebeginningofyourlife’slessons.Lifeisthetoughestteacheryouwilleverhave.“Lifeisacruelteacher.Shegivesthetestfirst,thenthelesson.”Lifewillthroweverythingthatitcanatyou;itwilltrytobreakyouandchokeyouuntilyoucan’tbreathe,butyoucan’tletit.

8.You’reOnlyYoungOnce

Enjoybeingyoungwhileyouarestillyoung!Enjoybeingyoungasmuchaspossible.Enjoythemetabolismandthefuntimes.Crossstuffoffyourbucketlistwhileyou’reyoungbecausenooneknowshowmuchtimeyoutrulyhave.Don’twaituntilyou’reoldandcan’tormaynotbeabletodothethingsyoureallywanttoexperience.Seriously,youmaybebrokewhileyou’reyoung,butthatdoesn’tmatter.You’vegottimetomakemoneyandsettledown.Travel,exploreanddowhatyourheartdesiresnow.Youcanstillgetmarried,havechildrenandahouseholdandcareerstartinginyour20sifyouwant,butyoushouldtrytobalanceyourlifewithequalamountsofresponsibilityandfun.Thelastthingyouwanttodoislookbackonmissedchances.

9.MakeYourHealthaPriority,NotanOption

Onceyougetintoyourlate20sandearly30syourbodyisgoingtostartlosingmetabolismandenergy.You’regoingtostarthurtingandgoingtobedearlier.Starteatingbetterandexercising.Don’tthinkofitasachoice.Startdevelopingahealthierlifestyleandsoonitwillbecomehabit.Takecareofyourselfphysically,mentallyandspiritually.

10.AttitudeDeterminesYourAltitude

Attitudeiseverythingandthat’snotsomethingtheyteachyouinschool.Havingagoodattitudecanmakeallthedifferenceinyourlife.Itmakeslifeeasierandhappierwhenyouhaveapositiveoutlookandareabletokeepyourattitudelightandflexiblewhendealingwithotherpeopleandwithlife’schallenges.

11.HowYouTreatPeopleMatters

Treatingpeoplewithrespectanddecencycangetyoualongwayintheworld.Rememberthat“honeyattractsmorefliesthanvinegar.”Beingnicetopeoplereallydoesactuallymattertopeople.Youwon’tgetanywheretearingotherpeopledownorblamingothersforanything.Takeresponsibilityforyourself,youractionsandyourfeelings.

12.RelationshipsDon’tComeEasy

Choosingalifepartner/spouseishard.Relationshipsingeneralarehard,notjustromanticonesbutfriendshipsandfamilyrelationsaswell.Stayintouchwithpeoplewhoyoureallycareaboutandwhoreallycareaboutyou.Makeanefforttostayanactivepersonintheirlifeifyoureallycare.Youwillnothaveasmanyclosefriendsasyougetolderandyouwillprobablylosesomefriendsaswell.Rememberthatitisokay,noteveryonewhocomesintoyourlifeismeanttostayforever;letthemgoandcherishthepeoplewhoarestillinyourlife.

13.BePreparedToDealWithChangesinRelationships

Lookatyourtimewithexesandbethankful;eventhoughitdidn’tworkout,atleastyougottoexperienceitandlearnfromit.Yourolledthediceandlost,butatleastyoutookachance!Don’tthinkthatjustbecausesomethingwasn’tmeanttobeforyourentirelifedoesn’tmeanitdidn’taddvalueandwasrightwhereyouneededtobeatthetime.

Inyour20s,especiallyifyouhaveafamily,itgetsharderandhardertospendtimewithfriendsbecauseofsomanydifferenttimedemands.Youwillbepulledineverydirectionandit’suptoyoutodecidewhatyourprioritiesare.Havingacoupleofclosefriendsyoucanrelyoncanmakeadifferenceinyourlife.Astheysay“sharedjoyisdoubled,sharedsorrowishalved.”

14.TakeEveryChanceYouGet

Lifeisabouttakingchances,grabbingopportunitiesandtakingrisks.Don’tbeafraidtotrysomethingnew,movesomewherenew,worksomewherenew,meetnewpeopleandlearnsomethingnew.

15.LetGoofExpectations

Expectationsruineverythingandmostofthetimeourexpectationsaretoohighforthosearoundusandforourselves.Nooneisperfectandnothingisevergoingtobeperfect.Thefasteryoucanlearnthisandletgooftoohighorfalseexpectations,theeasierlifewillcometoyou.Expectationsbringheartacheandonlycauseharm.Expectnothingandappreciateeverything.

16.LifeIsComplex.TryNottoWorry

Don’tworrybecauseeveryonehasupsanddowns.It’sjusthowlifeis.Lifeisextremelymessyandcomplicated,butdon’tdespairbecausethingswillworkoutintheend.Keeplivingandkeepondoingwhatyouenjoy.Don’tbetoohardonyourself.

17.YouGetWhatYouPutIn

Happiness,loveandconfidencecomefromwithin.Lifeiswhatyoumakeofitandwhatyouputintoit.Youcancreatewhateverlifeyouwant,andifyoucreatethatlifeanditdoesn’tworkforyouanymore,guesswhat?Youcancreateawholenewlifethatdoeswork.Youmaynothaveachoiceinthingsthathappentoyoubutyouhaveachoiceinhowyoureacttothem.Trytostaypositivenomatterwhatlifethrowsatyouandgetthroughthetoughtimesbytalkingtofriends,familyandacounselorifyouneedto.

18.YouWillFaceRejection

Youwillberejectedatsomepointinyourlife.Rejectionhurtsattheverycoreofyourbeing,buttrynottotakeittoopersonally.Oftentimes,whenyou’rerejectedithasnothingtodowithyouandeverythingtodowiththepersonrejectingyou.Takeitinstride,letitslideoffyourbackandmoveon.Iknowthisiseasiersaidthandone,butitwillgoalongwayinmakingyoufeelbetterandhappier.

19.YouWillNotHaveEverythingFiguredOutAnytimeSoon

Ifyoudon’thaveeverythingfiguredoutbythetimeyou’re30,you’renotalone.Ifyou’renotwhereyouwanttobeinyourlifeorcareer,don’tsweatit,youstillhavetime.Somepeopleneverfigureoutwhattheyreallywanttodowiththeirlives,buttheygetalotofgreatexperience,learnnewthingsandcantransfertheirskillstomanytypesofjobs.Ifyouknowwhatyouwanttodoinlife,startdoingitimmediately,practiceitasmuchaspossibleandyouwillgetbetteratit.

20.LoveMoreandKeepYourHeartOpen

Loveisallthatreallymattersintheend.Giveofyourselfmorethananything.Trytobepatient,empathetic,understanding,caringandgentlewithotherpeople.Gettoknowpeoplebetterbyaskingquestionsandlisteningattentively.Peopleusuallyliketotalkaboutthemselvesandquestionsareagreatwaytogetconversationsgoing.Lovepeopleforwhotheyare,justastheyare,andrealizethateveryoneisaworkinprogress!Lifeisacontinualworkinprogress.We’realljusttryingtofindourway,andwe’reallconfusedandlookingforcontentment.Lifeisajourney,andhappinessisnotadestinationtoarriveat,butawayofliving.