What is the best thing to do when you reached 25?

1. Happiness Is A Mood, Not A Destination,

It’s exhausting to look for the one day when everything will be perfect — because that day does not exist. We need to accept that happiness and success are moods that change on and off throughout our lives, and that’s okay.

Enjoy the best moments when they happen, and keep your head high when things are not at their best.

2. Take Care Of Yourself.

Binge-drinking and eating chips for breakfast lunch and dinner might have worked for you in the past. But learn to actually take care of yourself. No matter where you are right now — at home. Cook healthy meals. Exercise. Go for a walk. Meditate. Your body won’t be young forever, so take care of it. You won't believe the amazing things it will do to your mind and soul.

3. Family Matters.

Whether it be blood relatives, adopted family members, or the people that you work with — appreciate them. Love them. Cherish them. They are the ones who keep up with you every day, and the ones who keep you going.

4. Read More.

I know it’s hard to stay away from social media. It’s hard to put the iPad down. But do me a favor and start reading more. This isn’t kindergarten; it won’t make you a “nerd.” It won’t make you lame. Find something that you love — I don’t care if it’s a book about politics, I don’t care if you love gruesome murder stories. I don’t even care if you feel like catching up on the latest Twilight book (okay maybe I care just a little). The point is, get your mind off whatever you’re doing. Feed your brain some new information and ideas. Trigger thoughts and feelings from an outside world away from all the chaos inside your head. We all need healthy distractions.

5. Learn To Manage Money.

Being clueless won’t get you too far and loans won’t pay themselves. Stop eating out every day and then complaining that you’re broke. Being financially savvy is something you will always find to be beneficial in life, so why not start now?

6. Being Alone Doesn’t Mean That You’re Lonely.

Our early 20’s are a confusing and awkward time. So many questions. So many things are still unknown. It’s easy to feel lonely. Maybe you’re not with your best friends every day. Maybe you’re single. Maybe you just moved to a new city and you miss your family. Please know that you’re not the only one and that we all feel that way from time to time. Hang in there.

7. There’s Nothing Wrong With Needing People.

We are not superheroes, and we don’t go through life without struggles. Whoever your person is, talk to them. Take a trip back home. Call someone and tell them you miss them. Stop bottling feelings in. The more negativity you keep inside, the more it will poison you. We all need somebody.

8. Open Your Eyes.

Open Your Mind. Meet new people. Learn from other cultures. Try and understand different philosophies and ways of viewing the world. There is so much that we can learn from others, and we just don’t do it enough.

9. Push Out Of Your Comfort Zone.

No matter what your personality type is, no matter who you are — do something that scares you. Do something you’ve never done before. Do something you might regret later on. I once heard the phrase “the beauty is in the attempt.” And isn’t that the point? To try. To explore. To push ourselves — the rest will work itself out.

10. Do Things For Other People — And Don’t Expect Anything In Return.

We tend to think that we need to be Gandhi or Mother Theresa to help the world and be somebody, but we don’t. It’s so simple to help someone and to give back to the community. Find something — anything that interests you, and help in any way you can. We need more kindness in the world. And it all starts within us.

11. Stop Apologizing For Who You Are.

We’ve all done it. I still do it sometimes. It’s normal. It’s human. What’s not human is to constantly feel like we need to explain ourselves to everyone in the universe. This past year I’ve learned that the only person we truly need to please is ourselves. Do people judge us? Yes. Do they push us to do whatever they want? Sometimes. Do I let them? Not anymore. Our purpose in this world is to be happy, not to please everyone else.

12. Find Something To Look Forward To.

There’s such a beautiful world outside of the bubble we’ve been on over the last few years. If you don’t stop to explore it and appreciate it all, you’ll miss out on some really wonderful things. It’s okay to miss people and certain times in our life, but we need to learn to let go. If there’s things you regret or things you wish you could’ve done differently, understand that you still can. The next year allows for real freedom. You set your expectations. You set your goals. You decide what to do and who you want to be.

13. It’s Okay To Ignore The World Sometimes.

When things are simply too much to handle, tune them out. Don’t neglect important information and become ignorant about current events, but press the mute button once in a while. Go for a walk, listen to your favorite song. Let go of the weight that the world puts on your shoulders.

14. Don’t Hold Grudges.

It’s hard to let go of people and situations that have hurt us. But if we hold on to all of that anger, we’ll never move on. Understand that what happened was in the past, and leave it there.

15. Never Stop Looking For Something Better.

The key is to always be grateful for what you have now. As long as wanting something doesn’t hinder your ability to enjoy what you already have, then it’s okay to want more, better, or different. Never settle. Always keep going until you find what you’re truly looking for.

16. Spend More Time Alone.

Outgoing or not, extroverted or introverted, we all need time alone. What do you really think? what do you really feel? Step away from the white noise and the constant crowds and really spend some time alone with your thoughts. You’ll be surprised at how much you learn about yourself.

17. Everything Is Temporary.

It sucks when great things end — relationships, events, road trips, whatever you might love. But it’s also important to know that feeling sad or anxious won't last forever either. Appreciate the good while it’s there, and don’t stress about the bad — it’ll fade away when you least expect it.

18. Tell People You Love And Appreciate Them.

You don’t have to do it because you think some horrible accident will happen tomorrow. Just do it because you want to and because it matters. People matter. Those who have hurt us have also taught us. Those who have left us have also put up with us at some point. More importantly, those who are still here are our real treasures. Acknowledge them.

19. Be Thankful.

I know how hard it is when things don’t go our way. We tend to blame everything and everyone around us — including ourselves. I won't tell you to feel better just because some people are at war, or just because certain populations are starving. Yes, we need perspective. Yes, we need to appreciate what others aren’t so lucky to have. But most of all just be thankful for the sake of being thankful. It will make you happier and bring more positivity into your life.

20. Educate Yourself And Others.