Overcoming all the struggles of being 25 doesn’t really guarantee that you are on your way to a blissful life. Crisis tend to resurface from time to time, mostly when you least expect it. There will be some circumstances that will make you feel lost and it will scare you. But the great thing is, you are so much better now. You know how to handle it already. You have outgrown yourself and you’ve become the best that you can be. Believe it.

2.Love hard. It will keep you sane.

Love like there’s no tomorrow. By that I don’t mean non-stop French kissing with your man (Please! Get a room for that!). Love without expecting anything in return and just being ecstatic with the feeling of loving someone. May it be your insensitive neighbour, your annoying family and friends or even your partner. Just love. It will make a difference in this insanely egoistic world.

3.It’s never too late to work on your dream. Or to chase another dream.

For some, they had their dreams set already since they were young. It is something that they always wanted from the bottom of their heart and had nurtured along the way. Others had to experience a lot of twists and turns before they figure out what they really wanted to be. Despite the difference, both share the same starting point in reaching for their dreams and that is knowing what you REALLY want. It’s never too late.

People will question your ways in achieving success. That is just but natural. We all have our opinions about things and more often than not, they come unsolicited. It will make you doubt yourself and could even change your way. Whether you get persuaded or not from the opinions of other people, you should be the one taking control.

There will be a point in your life when you will start blaming your current situation with the mistakes that you have done in the past without realizing that you are making a BIG mistake by doing just that. The mistakes that you made are what moulded you into the person that you are now. You will create one or two or three (this could go on!) mistakes as long as you live. They can be huge or negligible, because nobody is perfect. It doesn’t really matter. What really matter is how you handle it and how you come out of those mistakes as a better person.

My hair is too frizzy, my thighs are too big, my skin is too dark, my goals are different from them, etc. The list of all the things that you hate about yourself could go on forever because the society you live in constantly changes their list of what is acceptable or not. Don’t let the society dictate what you should or shouldn’t be. If you feel like you don’t fit in, then don’t. There’s a reason God created you that way. You may be imperfect in the eyes of other people but you are created by a perfect God. And God does not make mistakes.

Your new gadget will depreciate, your mansion will need refurnishing and be updated from time to time and your wardrobe will need to be updated from time to time because all material possession fades. More often than not, they end up as trash or an additional clutter in your room. Spending your money on experiences, like discovering the culture in another country or learning how to paint, are so much better than just another thing from the store.

We work hard to live, not to work hard and die alone. Stop using the “I’m so busy” excuse all the time. If you can’t squeeze in a little bit of time for your loved ones everyday, then the tendency of you being unhappy is high. You are definitely doing something wrong. Start taking a break with your loved ones from time to time, it will do you good.

The problem with most of us is that when things go wrong we exhaust too much time and effort figuring out what went wrong and blaming ourselves for being incompetent (like we could control everything). We get suck into a depressing black hole of no return. At moments like this, moving forward is the key. Accept the things you can't change and make the future better.

10. Hold unto the things you love to do the most.

Let’s face it. Not all of us can earn a decent income doing the things we love to do the most. I mean, I would love to just travel around the world and write about my experiences without worrying where to get money for my food or (gasp!) sudden medical needs. It would take some time before that could happen and I got bills to pay. So here we are spending our time on a job that actually pays for the rent. It’s okay. You don’t have to feel like a total loser. It’s something that you should be proud of because it only means that you are a highly independent person. Just make sure that you still hold unto the things that you love the most while keeping your day job until the time comes that you’ll be able to survive on doing what you really love.

Do your best in whatever it is that you are doing and something good will always come from that. As long as you did it with a good purpose, then there will come a time that you’ll be able to get your rewards for doing the best that you can do. Rewards will come in various forms and it might take long but the point is, you’ll get it eventually. So if you feel like it’s taking too long or it feels like you’re getting nowhere, just keep doing best. All good things comes to those who are patient enough to work and wait for it.

So half of your batch are now doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. while you (well!)…are just you. No titles and your teachers might have forgotten you by now. Remember that this does not matter! Do not belittle yourself for this. Yes, they are great for becoming a titled person but what really matters is what they can do by being one. And that does not exclude you.  Your personality defines you as a person. You are not just you, YOU ARE YOU! Be the best YOU that you could be.

There is definitely nothing wrong with making yourself look good so that you could feel good. But remember, when you just base your self-worth with how you look like, you will end up feeling miserable every time you look at yourself in the mirror. Every year, you will turn a less younger, and that process will change some of your feature. But it shouldn’t bother you. The important thing is what is inside of you. What kind of person you actually are. Because beauty fades, but a good attitude doesn’t.

Exercise, eat well and live well. Just imagine how you worked your ass of just so you could save up for your goals, may it be travelling or having your own business, only to realize that you will no longer be able to see those come true. Keep it healthy because most of those that could threaten your health does not provide any symptoms. As to what they always say, prevention is always better than cure.

16. There are 7 continents in the world. Don’t get stuck with just one.

The world is a vast place with so many things to discover. Wouldn’t you like to know how different are the culture of other countries from yours. Not from just textbooks or over the internet, but really experiencing it. Wander more so to see the wonders of the world you are living in.

You may have everything that would consider you as a successful human being in this planet, but if it is not what you really want, then you won’t be happy. Oftentimes, we neglect listening with our hearts so we end up listening to what other people are telling you to do. That you should be like this, you should act like this and so much more. But at the end of the day, what really makes you happy matters the most. It isn’t really hard to find. You just have to listen with your heart and block off what other people are saying.

At this age, people like to pretend that they know everything. That not knowing something would make you as dumb AF (sorry! For not checking on FB last night!). Which is why mostly would just settle with what they already know. That’s not how it should be. Never be afraid to ask because doing so means that you are curious about certain things that you don’t understand. Curiosity makes you question things which would lead to learning and would result to a better learned man than before.

19. Don’t mind if your definition of fun starts to sound boring.

Suddenly, you find Friday nights as an opportunity for Harry Potter series while you are on your comfy pajamas at the familiar ambiance of your bedroom. No more parties, excessive alcohol and loud music. Nope! You are not getting old and boring. It’s just that you’re definition of fun is different from what you used to. Actually, you don’t have to explain to anyone why you think something is fun because it is your life to live. If it is boring for them, that’s their problem!

20. Just because the world is cruel, you have to be one too.

A lot of people think that the people who had gone through a lot of rough times in this world are entitled to act as rough as they had experienced. That is the lamest excuse ever. If you’ve experienced such cruel moments in your life, then you know exactly how it feels. And I don’t think you would want other people to experience that kind of feeling. Don’t turn yourself into the kind of person you’ve hated.

Believe it or not, insecurities are not just for highschool girls who are competing on becoming the most popular girl in the campus. We all had and will have a fair share of insecurities in our lives. The secret to actually overcoming insecurities is by not caring at all. Accept that nobody is perfect but you can be awesome by being the best that you can be.

22. The more you compare, the less you’ll have

There are billions of people in the world. If you continue to compare what you have to every single one of them, you will only feel like you have nothing. Be thankful with what you have and strive harder.

23. One step at a time.

Everything is a process. If you want something, you can have your eyes on the goal but you have to work on it, one step at a time. It could be a long journey and it will be hard but taking it day by day would make it easier. Sooner than you would realize, you’ve already achieved it.

24. Keep the passion burning.

We all have our own way to connecting to God. Mostly by prayers, some through writing and even through music. By having a daily conversation with God, you refuel your spiritual energy that could give you inner peace. Never unplug yourself from Him.