23 Reminders Everyone Needs To Hear When They Turn 23
By Ahmed Tariq
1. You’re made of stardust.
Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion. – Rumi
Why are you content with being rooted to the ground when you belong with the stars that you came from? Why do you choose to crawl your way through life when you were meant to fly towards your dreams and aspirations?
Always remember your own worth. You’re stronger than you seem and more beautiful than you believe.
2. You’re a survivor.
Remember all those nights you thought you wouldn’t survive? Those nights are distant memories now. Your success rate is 100%.
Here you are standing tall and ready to face the challenges life throws your way with a brave smile.
Be proud of yourself.
3. You’re worthy of love.
Just because someone was incapable of loving you doesn’t mean you’re incapable of being loved.
You have a heart of gold and a beautiful soul. Believe that another beautiful soul with the right role will recognize it one day.
Wait for the love that lasts.
4. You will fall in love again.
You will feel butterflies erupting in your stomach when you steal a glance at your person.
You will feel the pain of lost love vanish when you see your person smile at you.
Your heart will swell with happiness at the prospect of sharing your life with the person you love and who loves you back.
5. You will trust again.
You won’t forget the people who broke your trust but you will forgive them for your own sake.
You will choose more carefully who you let inside your inner circle but you won’t let the fear of betrayal stop you from choosing a new confidant.
You will eventually end up with a friend for life instead of just lessons for life.
6. Be honest with yourself.
You can deceive everyone around you, but not your own soul.
Know yourself and you will never be bothered by anyone else’s opinion about you. Know what you want and you have already taken the first step towards achieving it.
Listen to the calling of your heart and trust that it will always lead you towards the light.
7. Set yourself goals and achieve them.
Work hard in silence, let your success be your noise. – Frank Ocean
Avoid sharing your plans with other people. People ruin beautiful things. Show them your achievements instead of talking about them and let them marvel at your success.
This period of evolution has the potential to set the tone for the rest of your adult life. Grind now to reap the rewards in your future.
8. Never stop believing in yourself.
Be your own biggest motivator and best friend.
Keep telling yourself that you’re destined for all the good in life and watch this reassurance work like a charm.
Believe in the power of your dreams while setting out on your journey and you have no idea who you might inspire along the way.
9. Don’t give up on that dream.
Hold on to that dream whether it’s finding a fairy tale love or driving the Audi you wanted to own when you were 16.
Remember that you can be a dreamer while still being pragmatic. Remind yourself that the only person stopping you from chasing your dream is the one staring back at you in the mirror.
Never lose your ability to dream and one day you might turn a vivid dream into a colorful reality.
10. Don’t let anyone dim your shine.
Be the sun that doesn’t stop giving out warmth or refuse to shine when no one acknowledges it. Be the moon that doesn’t seek approval from anyone for giving out light and being breathtaking.
People will always find something to criticize. Let them. It’s not your job to convince them of your honest intentions.
Focus only on the encouragement and motivation and block out the negativity to lead a positive life.
11. Don’t kill your inner child.
Being an adult entails responsibilities and commitments. You have to spend long hours at work and meet deadlines. You might forget to enjoy yourself in the midst of the chaos that your life has now become.
Remember to get excited about seemingly mundane things such as going out for ice cream or watching a glorious sunset from the roof of your house.
Keep finding joy in those seemingly mundane but extraordinarily majestic little things.
12. Don’t stop being kind.
Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle. – Plato
Kindness doesn’t cost a thing but it could be more valuable than all the riches in the world for a stranger who is fighting a battle you know nothing about.
People might take your compassion for granted but don’t let that harden your heart.
13. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
It’s okay to make mistakes. That’s how you learn and grow.
Give yourself the opportunity to learn from your mistakes so you can evolve to become a better person. Don’t close off your growth by aiming for perfection.
Forgiving others is important but learn to forgive yourself first.
14. You’re not your mistakes.
You are more than the wrong decisions you have made and the chastening consequences you have suffered. You are more than days full of regret and nights filled with insomnia.
The bad news is that you will make more mistakes in the future. The good news is that all of them will be opportunities to reflect and improve.
Remember that it is not your mistakes, but how you react to them that defines you.
15. Your peace of mind is important.
As you grow older you realize what truly matters. You begin to comprehend the value of your thoughts and emotions and start to seek the simple joy of being understood.
You eventually recognize that your peace of mind is crucial to your happiness.
Surround yourself with people who understand and respect that. Let go of those who can no longer contribute to your mental well-being.
16. Let toxic people go.
As you grow older you also realize that certain people you think you love are actually poison to your soul.
Do yourself a favour and pluck those weeds out of your life so that there can be empty space for flowers to grow.
There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind. – C.S. Lewis
17. It’s okay to lose friends.
Being an adult means adjusting to a new work routine and losing touch with the friends you made when you were at college or university.
Not all the friendships you make will last forever, but that doesn’t discount their significance.
Cherish your memories and wish the best for those friends you had to leave behind.
18. It’s okay to be vulnerable.
It takes courage to stay sensitive in a world intent on making you heartless.
It’s only when you open your heart completely that you realize the true depth of sentiment you are capable of feeling.
Let your oasis of emotions and overflowing ocean of love be your strengths instead of seeing them as flaws.
19. It’s okay to reminisce about the past.
Maybe you were in love with a person or a place. Maybe both. Maybe you knew you could not stay.
Maybe nostalgia comes knocking at the door of your heart every once a while.
Don’t turn her away. Invite her in for a cup of tea. Bid her farewell when it is time to leave.
20. It’s not okay to live in the past.
Recognize when a moment has become a memory and accept it for what it is.
Don’t hurt yourself by trying to hold on to something that has already slipped away.
Close the doors behind you and open your heart to new beginnings.
21. It’s okay to not have your life figured out.
Life doesn’t have to make complete sense when you’re 23. Wouldn’t the rest of your life be a tedious exercise if you had already achieved everything you wanted to achieve with nothing left to motivate or inspire you?
You could get that interview call tomorrow and land your dream job. You could get on a plane and travel the world. You could wake up tomorrow and meet the love of your life.
The possibilities are endless and that’s what makes life exciting.
22. Your best days are yet to come.
Chances are that the best day of your life hasn’t yet arrived and that you haven’t yet met the person you’re supposed to spend the rest of your life with.
Chances are that you’ll wake up one day and fall in love with your life all over again.
Don’t stop walking now when all that you seek is just down the road waiting for you to reach it.
23. This too shall pass.
Find solace in the realization that whatever you are going through is only temporary.
If this is the best time of your life learn to count your blessings and treasure every moment.
If this is the worst time of your life remind yourself that the stars shine brightest when the night is darkest and keep stargazing.