I'm turning 29 this year. It's been a good ride thus far. Here are a few things from both observation and experience I've learned in my ripe old age of 29:
(1) Good sleep, food, exercise, water are vital to a productive day.
(2) Everything in moderation is a good philosophy - especially with respect to food/drinks.
(3) Exercise has more than just physical benefits. Exercise influences your emotional health, happiness, and overall sense of well being.
(4) Not worrying about what others think is the best way to live. It's also incredibly difficult in your teens and 20's to not be influenced by your peers.
(5) Surrounding yourself with people you admire/respect is much more important than whoever will go out and party/drink with you.
(6) Buying someone lunch is one of the most powerful networking tactics you can use. Do it often.
(7) To get to know someone, take a long car ride or travel with them. You'll get to know a completely different side of them and develop a much more intense connection.
(8) Meeting someone of quality in a bar/club is unlikely. Although quality people go to bars/clubs, they aren't looking for their mate. Rather, meeting someone through a friend is a much wiser strategy.
(9) Find a means of creating passive income for yourself. Whether this is via investing, an online biz, or some other means, it's crucial to find a way to get paid even when you're not there.
(10) Read, read and read.
(11) It takes time to really get to know yourself.
(12) Don't get married until you're ready. There's no reason to do it too soon.
(13) Being in a relationship because you are lonely is almost always the wrong reason.
(14) Friendship before romance can increase the likelihood of a relationship's success.
(15) Experts write. Start writing.
(16) Public speaking isn't as scary as you may think. We are conditioned to think there is something frightening about communicating to a group of people. There isn't.
(17) Treat others how you want to be treated. Be nice.
(18) Laugh - life is too short not to laugh.
(19) Push yourself. Try things you wouldn't normally do. Go outside your own comfort zone.
(20) Invest as early as possible. Save and invest. Save and invest.
(21) Spend less than you earn.
(22) Avoid debt, including student loan debt (if you can).
(23) Higher education is useful, but comes at a great cost (unless someone else is paying for it for you). If your parents or family will pay for it, do it. If you are paying for it yourself, realize that you will be forced to pay back huge tuition costs for probably years to come.
(24) Do something you enjoy. Working in a place/job/environment that doesn't fit who you are will do strange things to you physically and emotionally. The sooner you recognize when something isn't the right fit and make a change, the better.
(25) Give people the benefit of the doubt. If someone burns you, learn from it. But don't become jaded because of one bad apple.
(26) Find a way to create more quietness (some call it "consciousness") in your life - whether you are spiritual or not, finding quiet time is imperative.
(27) Family and friends are what makes life great. Tell them so.
(28) Money is a tool you can use, not the other way around.
(29) There is always more to learn. Anyone who claims to know it all doesn't know how little they actually know.
