Your twenties are some of the most unique, incredible years of your life. During this time, you have the opportunity to establish the foundation of your adulthood. As you enjoy your twenties wholeheartedly, remember the things you should prioritize in your twenties to set yourself up for long-term emotional, physical, and financial health. How you spend these years will be incredibly impactful, so make them count.
Exercising Enough
Building a regular exercise routine in your twenties isn’t just about looking good. Physical activity has long-term benefits for your physical health and mental well-being. If you exercise regularly now, you’ll be in much better shape when your thirties and forties roll around.
All you need is 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of intense activity per week. Get a mix of aerobic and strength training in, and you’ll be set. You can even dance your way to better health! Finding movement that feels fun and fulfilling now will cultivate the habit for years to come.
Minding Your Mental Health
One of the most overlooked things you should prioritize in your twenties is your mental health. Your twenties are understandably stressful and confusing in many ways. Don’t make matters worse by neglecting your mental health.
Acknowledge the anxieties that come with this stage of life and seek support from friends, family, or counseling if you need it. You might also start meditating to cultivate your inner awareness and emotional control.
Finally, remember that it’s okay to slow down, set boundaries, and say no when you need to. You aren’t made to juggle everything all at once. By knowing your limits and proactively improving your mental health, you’ll provide yourself with resilient coping mechanisms for future challenges.
Setting Yourself Up for Financial Stability
Building healthy financial habits in your twenties pays off significantly in the long run. Start by creating a comprehensive financial plan that includes a budget, emergency fund, debt payments, and investments.
Investing at this stage is particularly important because you have time on your side. The average return rate on whole-market investments is 10 percent, and inflation is typically about 3 percent. So if you’re 20 and invest just $110 dollars a month, you’ll retire at 65 with one million. The more you are able to put away, the better shape you’ll be in as you age. Open that Roth IRA and start investing today!
Maintaining Your Relationships
Life gets busy, but prioritizing meaningful relationships with friends, family, and any romantic partners is essential. People come and go, but the connections you nurture now can evolve into lifelong support systems.
Getting To Know Yourself
You are your most important relationship. In your twenties, you have the chance to really get to know and improve yourself. Take the opportunity to reflect on your values, interests, goals, struggles, and needs. Nobody is perfect, and your twenties are about learning how you can improve and be the most intentional and authentic version of yourself moving forward.
Pursuing Your Dreams and Hobbies
It’s never too late in life to start or pursue something, but it’s also true that your options get more limited as you age, and it becomes harder to forge new paths. So if you have something you want to explore, do it now! You never know where it might lead. Even if your hobbies remain just that, they contribute to a well-rounded and fulfilling life.
Cultivating Patience
Finally, remember that it takes time to see the returns on these things you should prioritize in your twenties. It’s easy to feel like you need to have everything figured out right now, but life almost never works on your preferred timeline. Be patient with yourself, your goals, and the process of growth. This era is not about perfection but about building the foundation for a lifetime of learning and evolving.
Recommended Reading: Balancing Work and Family Life: Tips for Creating Quality Time Together
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