25 Things I Learned in My 25th Year

by LaChelle Watson

My 25th year was definitely a golden one. I had a lot of great experiences and very challenging personal revelations. I noticed a shift within myself that signified me becoming more of a woman and aware of who I am. Here are some things that I learned.

1. Self-confidence, self-respect, self-love and self-esteem are not the same things. Ideally we’d possess all of these, but there may come a time where you realize through your behavioral patterns that one or more of these things are missing. No need to panic. The journey to find them is rewarding—trying but very rewarding. 
2. Learning more about yourself will result in you learning more about what you want and need out of a partner. Do not feel like you have to compromise any of this. You will likely regret it if you do.
3. It’s very important that the people you choose to keep around you have similar core values. 
4. People who treat you badly are not owed an explanation for you removing yourself from their lives. 
5. Time is so precious. If you’re not investing it into being productive, make sure you are investing it into having great experiences. 
6. When you give from a selfless place, good things will always come back to you. It may not be right away but you will start to notice many blessings and a surge of positive energy in your life.
7. Falling in love shows you who you truly are. 
8. Your eggs are not starting to dry up and you should never feel obligated to become a mother before you are ready. 
9. Good friends are going to be harder to find. If you find one who you feel you can trust, accepts you for who you are and reciprocates everything you give, hang on to them! 
10. Sisterhood is the most important form of fellowship whilst coming into your womanhood
11. Evaluating your priorities should be a regular practice. It may take some time to get them straight, but try not to lose sight of them
12. Work/life balance is no easy feat. Make sure you’re not working so much that your life will pass you by or playing so much that you never get anything accomplished.
13. ANY relationship that is not nurturing or nourishing is not worth investing your time into especially if you are in the midst of personal struggle. This is one of few instances where self-preservation is 100% okay. 
14. Reading books that provide perspective will help you keep an open mind. 
15. Not being where you desire to be should not stop you from embracing where you are. 
16. The end of a relationship does not mark a failure especially not if you learned something from it in which case it was a success. 
17. Finding out what you love about yourself is the first step in learning how to truly love yourself. 
18. You are more than good enough. 
19. Sometimes stepping away is the best way to show someone you love them. 
20. You will never, ever have all of the answers. 
21. Vulnerability is not a weakness. It requires too much courage and strength to be considered one.
22. Treating yourself well will always positively affect how you allow others to treat you. 
23. Being misunderstood by people who matter is a hard pill to swallow, but if you're going to be your own person, you have to accept this.
24. You can acknowledge negative thoughts without letting them consume you.
25. You don’t have to believe everything you think.