Yes, you have an overly demanding boss and your family is always asking when you’re getting married or having a baby and you don’t feel as young as your party-all-night self from a few years ago. You’ve realized that hangovers are a real thing and there are certain responsibilities in life that you just can’t run away from – but lighten up, there’s no other age that you’d rather be! We give you 20 amazing perks of being in your 20s. Keep these in mind the next time you feel like there are too many candles to blow out on your birthday cake.
1. You’re carving the life you want for yourself. You’re old enough to live on your own terms without having to listen to everything your parents say, but not too old to ask them for help or advice while still being the master of your own fate.
2. You can be as clean as you want or live as a total slob without worrying about your mom yelling at you.
3. You can focus on your career and even move to another city for better opportunities and to widen your horizons.
4. Other than those occasional breakouts, your skin will never be as firm and elastic as it is now.
5. You may not feel it, but you’re in the prime of your health. This is the healthiest and fittest time of your life – take advantage of it and stay active, exercise to prevent serious issues in the future.
6. All the hard-earned money you make (even if it isn’t a great amount) is for yourself only – meant for shopping, travelling and pampering yourself and your partner and your other loved ones. You still have a little time before you have to start planning your retirement!
7. If you have been a tad over-indulgent or have an emergency, you can still borrow money from your parents without feeling terribly bad about it. It’s normal to need a little extra help when you’re just starting a new life or family.
8. You’re young enough to try out most trends and experiment with fashion, without looking like you’ve lost your marbles.
9. Metabolism is still relatively on your side. You can devour that double cheese pizza in the middle of the night without having to feel as guilty as you probably would 10 years down the line.
10. This is the phase in life where you learn to understand who your true friends are and which relationships are worth the work and which aren’t.
11. Your phone book is filled with hip, creative minds. You hang out in a cool mix of graphic designers, writers, fashion enthusiasts, artists and other go-getters, which definitely makes for an interesting social life for you.
12. You can still ask your mom for help when it comes to laundry, grocery-shopping or cooking a meal.
13. You can travel and discover yourself. At this age, you can leave town without a second thought and have better finances for it than you did a few years ago.
14. You’re physically able to sleep till late on the weekends. As you age, you don’t sleep for as many hours at a stretch as you do when you’re younger. Haven’t you wondered why your parents wake up at 7 a.m. even on Sundays?
15. You never thought it would happen, but you’re actually learning to manage your life. From paying a few bills to saving money (even if it’s a small amount) to being more aware about your health – standing on your own two feet doesn’t seem as daunting as it once did.
16. You’re not that self-centred kid any more. Yes, you may be a tad narcissistic and can’t resist staring at yourself in every mirror you pass, but no longer does the universe revolve around you. Everything doesn’t have to be your way – you’re okay with eating Chinese even though you wanted Italian when out with a friend, and taking care of your parents instead of them taking care of you.
17. You can still party till 6 am and go to work at 10 in the morning. Trust us, you will not be able to do this by the time you reach your 40s.
18. You’re old enough to understand that parents have an uncanny knack of always being right. Whatever your mummy and papa nagged you about growing up has only helped you improve your life. You’ve realized that sometimes you were at fault and did drive them quite crazy, but they still love you unconditionally. Instead of resenting them, gratitude is an emotion you now understand much better.
19. You learn that you can’t please everyone. People will always talk but not caring about what others say is an art that you finally learn to achieve and will stop killing yourself trying to please the world. Realizing whose opinions matter and whose don’t is the key to a happier life.
20. You don’t have to be anybody other than who you want to be. Now is the time to focus on your ambitions, work on important relationships and surround yourself with positivity. You’re free to figure out what you want and lead the life that you want.
GIFs: pickyrunner.com, tumblr.com, stardusted.tumblr.com
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