24 Life-Changing Lessons That I’ve Learnt as a 24-year-old

In this post, I’ll share the 24 life-changing lessons that I’ve learnt as a 24-year-old. Sometimes the simplest things can be the most profound, life-changing lessons. These 24 lessons have helped me live a more happy and fulfilled life. I hope that as you read this post, you get to know a bit more about me and that this adds value to your life in some way- your way. xx

There’s not really a day in my life that goes by without dancing and listening to music. I’ve learnt that fun and enjoyment are so important. It’s very important to me to prioritise enjoying my life, my work, the mundane moments and creating & sharing good times. Because doing what I love and enjoy makes me happy. So, I make the effort to make what I’m doing enjoyable, even when I don’t love it. Something that has stuck with me is this quote in the movie The Shift. Dwayne Dwyer shares, “The purpose of life is to be happy.” You can watch the movie here for free.

When I start to overcomplicate things in my mind, or start grasping the idea that I need more to be happy, I remember this. If it makes you happy, do it. Are you deciding between going to this country or that country? Are you picking between this career path or that career path? I overcame indecision which I experienced in the past, by simply choosing that which makes me feel happy and going for it. I choose to commit to living my life in alignment with my values and leaning into authentically, imperfectly making the best decisions that add to my happiness, fulfilment and freedom.

Affirmation: I allow myself to be happy. I allow myself to choose choices that make me happy.

Action: How can you add more fun in to your today?

Many people say to follow what makes you happy, but I didn’t really know why this life-changing lesson was so important to me until I knew. There have been times when I have not followed that which makes me happy because of either money, fear, scarcity mindset or lack of clarity. Happiness is one of my core values and when I make choices that don’t truly make me happy my whole being is affected. I feel the feeling of feeling sleepy and not awake and excited inside. I know that when I have had to do things that don’t truly make me happy, it can be challenging, but I continue to remind myself that this is only temporary and a stepping stone to get me to where I want to be.

This helps me find happiness in the current situation and ways to enjoy it more. I remind myself that I am not stuck. Each time that I have followed that which makes me happy it has led me to great growth, deeper fulfillment and discovery. You can grow and discover a lot in the things that make you happy and in the things that don’t make you happy. I’ve learnt that by following, doing and choosing that which makes me happy, from the music I listen to, my career, activities, lifestyle and living situation, to the people that I surround myself with, I feel much more satisfied and fulfilled.

I’ve learnt to allow change. That’s it okay to change, to make positive changes for you and your life. If something is no longer working or feels right, make a plan, adjust things and change. It’s okay to shift, change your mind, and start fresh. No one is holding you to be a past version of yourself. New beginnings. Do you know that nagging feeling that has been quietly telling you that something no longer feels in resonance or alignment? It’s okay and safe to make outer changes as you grow, evolve and change within. Something that felt right for you back then may no longer feel in alignment and resonance with you now, and that’s okay. It’s okay to choose, begin again and act differently.

Positive changes that I have made for me, have not only benefited me. For example, I would not have as much time, attention and energy to focus on growing Living Her Way if I did not choose to move, declutter, release the old and create the new positive changes that now allow me to have the time, energy, money and focus & attention to lovingly give to Living Her Way.

Reminder: Change is inevitable and a constant thing in life. Grow with it.

Yep, just keep on being you. I’ve learnt that it’s safe to be me. To honestly express my desires, needs, feelings and vibrancy. Of course, the energy behind how you express your truth matters too. Embracing your authenticity, your individuality, your colours, your beauty and living your way has so much meaning, positive impact and purpose. Shine, you’re beautiful.

The ones who love you as you are, will. Something that I feared was being seen and heard for who I authentically am. As I did not truly love who I was. We are always changing, evolving, growing, shedding layers, transforming and upleveling. However, we can unconditionally love ourselves in all of that. Easier said than done. We are only human after all. Embracing your authenticity and living your truth is a continual process and I don’t think it is or has to be a final destination that is fully reached. But, I think it can be seen and felt more like a stretch/ becoming /expanding more into. I’ve learnt to not dim to fit in.

My truth, my best version of myself and my authenticity are imperfect. When I think about being who I am and doing what is true to me, this quote comes to mind and I resonate with the sense in it, “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”- Bernard M. Baruch.

The relationship that you have with yourself is so important, if not, the most important. Nurture it, grow it and get to know yourself well. Learn what it means to love yourself unconditionally. And not just the pretty parts, but the ugly parts too. If I’m being honest I didn’t even know that I needed to love myself more until I knew that I needed to. I was naturally focused on loving others first.

I started to focus on loving myself unconditionally and everything changed for me since then. It was a lot of inner work. The more unconditional love that I cultivate and have for myself, the more love I have available for my outer world. I learnt that the more unconditional love that you have for yourself, the more open you will be to receive love and support around you as you know that you are loveable as you are. As within, so without. This was a hard lesson for me to learn that I am loveable as I am, and is something that I will continue to practise until the day I die.

Affirmation: “I am worth loving. I do not have to earn love. I am lovable because I exist. Others reflect the love I have for myself.” — Louise Hay

Don’t let not being confident or practised enough stop you from showing up. Practising and doing the thing is what makes progress, adds to your experience and increases your skills. For example, when I became a yoga teacher and started applying for my first job at a yoga studio and landed one, I was newly qualified and I did not have a lot of experience yet. I had so many doubts about whether I was good enough and whether I could do it. The truth is, at the beginning, I taught many yoga classes with a shaky, nervous voice and messed up my words. But, I would not have become a better, more confident and in-flow yoga teacher, if I had not shown up and taught yoga.

I had to believe that I already could teach yoga, to become the woman that could teach yoga. I decided on courage and to think that I was a yoga teacher even though in the beginning I didn’t feel confident being a yoga teacher. Believe it, act as if you already are it and do the thing until you become it.

A manifesting/ act it, think it until you make it practise: Start showing up now as the person who is the best version of yourself, living your dream lifestyle and has what you want. Start believing that you are her, now. Make daily gradual progress, take action and create the shifts & changes to get there. Act in alignment with that version of you now. Create your dreams into reality.

I learnt that believing in myself and my abilities matters. Other people could believe in me, but when I didn’t have a solid foundation of self-belief, I was a lot less likely and sometimes unable to follow through on my dreams & goals when challenges arose and when I felt uncomfortable. Cultivating a strong foundation of self-belief is one thing that can help you show up day in and day out towards your goals & dreams and commit to what you believe is possible for you. Think big! Believe in yourself.

Affirmation: I give myself permission to believe in myself and think big for my potential.

Prioritising yourself, your goals, passions, dream life and living in alignment with your true values and beliefs matter. As someone who naturally cares about others and wants to help them, it can be easy to put other people’s needs and desires before your own. What I would tell my younger self is, that you are worthy of putting yourself first. It’s safe to choose you, your dreams, goals & aspirations and get your needs met. Putting everyone else’s needs, dreams, desires and goals before your own is not serving you. It is not selfish to have the life that you desire, to live your way, to have your needs met and to shine bright.

The truth is I was so worried about keeping other people comfortable, worrying about whether they would be okay or not. But would I be okay? A painful lesson that I learnt was, “Put on your own oxygen mask before helping others.” I don’t see it as a bad thing at all that I got to learn this lesson, I actually see it as a beautiful thing that I truly want to help others. Now I know that when I choose myself first and fill up my own cup, I can better care for and be there for others.

Daily self-care matters. Self-care really does allow us to feel better about ourselves and our lives. This is something I didn’t prioritise as much when I was younger. What I would remind my younger self is that “You are worthy of being taken care of. Don’t wait for permission to feel good. You don’t have to earn self-care. Receive unconditionally.” Invest in that facial, that massage, that sauna sesh or whatever self-care habits you love. Whatever makes you feel good and like your best, most vibrant self, do it. If you would like more inspiration on self-care habits that you can implement into your routine, I recommend checking out my 6 Simple Ways to Romanticise Your Life post here.

Once I started diving into getting to know and heal my feminine and masculine energy & traits, I got to discover some of the things that were hindering me from achieving my goals in all areas of my life. This was a life-changing, game-changing lesson. For example, I had a distrust in my masculine energy which influenced me not trusting in my actions. I had these big career goals, but I was too afraid to take action because I didn’t trust my actions or myself.

We all have masculine and feminine energy & traits within us no matter our gender. Both are important to living a unified, harmonious life. Once I started to integrate and trust the masculine energy & traits within me, like action-taking, I started to trust the outer masculine more too. As within, so without. Get to know your feminine energy traits and your masculine energy traits and find a sweet way of functioning that feels right and true for you. You get to be the authority on what a healthy balance looks like for you, your way.

It’s easier to work with the natural seasons of life than to work against them. Rest when you need to. Play when you want to. Cry when you feel like crying. Dance when you wanna. I’ve learnt to know my body and my menstrual cycle and then, try my best to live in harmony with it.

This lesson has taught me to focus on embracing and making the most out of the time & season that I’m in. If you have a lot of creative inspiration towards your projects and career at the moment, go for it! Water the grass where your feet are rather than thinking you should be somewhere else, someone else or doing something else.

This season shall pass too. “Nature does not rush to change its seasons, nor do you need to. Be patient and kind with your big changes.” – A quote from my Free Daily Self Empowerment Reminders eBook. Receive your copy by signing up for the Living Her Way newsletter using the form at the bottom of this page.

Journal prompt: What is calling for your attention most in this season of your life? Where is your energy feeling most pulled towards?

Life is precious and you could die tomorrow. Contemplate the evanescence of life daily. Enjoy your life. Focus on making memories that last a lifetime. Prioritise laughter and living well. I’ve created so many “I can’t believe I did that moments and I know that will continue to do this for the rest of my life. Cherish your life and your time with your loved ones. Be so grateful that you get to spend your time with the ones you love, that you get to grow together and do amazing and ordinary life things together.

Go on adventures, book that flight, and feel your feelings. When you love someone, tell them. I would tell my younger self, “Don’t overthink it, you’re doing just fine.” Take more chances and do more dances. Live in a way that feels like you are making the most of your one precious life, your way. Why not live a life that’s true to you? Here is some more inspiration on ways that you can live your life to the fullest on my blog post. You can read it here.

What you think you become. Affirmation: “I am good enough.” What you focus on, on a constant basis, you attract and create more of. You are powerful beyond measure. I feel that this quote resonates with this life-changing lesson, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.” – Marianne Williamson.

You truly do have the power to recreate and create your reality in the present moment. Use your thoughts, actions, focus and attention wisely to create that which you desire to experience, become and believe to be true. This lesson taught me, to be powerful is to be aware that your thoughts, emotions, stories in your head, actions and patterns do not have power over you. You are the authority in charge and you get to choose how you act, what you choose to believe, what you choose to focus on and how you perceive your experiences. For example, do you want to become someone that feels worthy? You already have the power and belief within you to make that belief become a reality.

I’ve learnt to not wait for the perfect timing, for someone to choose me, for a friend to go with me or until my skin is clear to do the thing that I want to do. Because the truth is, you may be waiting your whole lifetime. That’s what hits me. Water the dreams that you have planted and remain focused and patient as they grow into fruition. But, do not wait until that comes to be happy, to be open to goodness and enjoy your life. Enjoy the season you’re in and you’ll never know what just may come to you if you allow it!

When something feels right, there’s a very good chance that I will ‘say yes’. I’ve learnt that if the vibe is off, the vibe is off. Honour your knowing. It’s so valuable to be connected with your intuition and your body. Only you will know your intuition best. Become good at discerning what feels right and what doesn’t and what is a body yes for you and what is a body no for you. Get in touch with your emotions and feelings in your body and your heart, not only just your mind. Some simple ways that you can get in touch with your emotions and body are by taking time to slow down, dancing, being present with yourself and spending time in nature. Barefoot in nature- a bonus!

I’ve learnt that it is okay to move forward without knowing why. To let go and move forward without having answers to my questions. We all want answers to why things happened the way they did. But we don’t always receive answers to those questions. Sometimes we have the choice to accept things as they are, let go and move on. Sometimes you get to give yourself the clarity, direction and reassurance that you need. Once I finally decide I’ve had enough of the frustration, confusion and turmoil towards my unanswered questions, I decide to let go. Once I let go, I get to open myself up to embrace new possibilities and experiences. Even when it feels scary. If it’s not serving you in a positive way anymore, let it go. And, just keep swimming.

Once I started to create and have healthy boundaries in my life regarding all areas, I became a lot more happier, peaceful, content and healthier. I once didn’t even know what boundaries were or why I needed them. When I became depleted, felt lost and didn’t know really who I was, I decided that things needed to change. I got to take responsibility for my life and the positive changes I wanted to create and have. I discovered boundaries, what’s okay for me and what is not okay for me in all areas of life. Learning what boundaries I need and how to hold them & have them has been a continual learning process.

I do believe in healthy individuality while also feeling deeply connected in my relationships. An example of a healthy boundary that I created is that I realised that other people’s stuff was not mine to take on. Furthermore, I can be there for others fully while not taking on their problems & challenges as my own. I let people close to me, but I no longer lose myself in the process. I am there for others and give fully, however, I no longer deplete myself in the process, thanks to boundaries. Use your discernment when deciding what you accept and what you don’t, what you want to say yes to and what you want to say no thank you to. Healthy boundaries are important.

Creating a strong foundation of faith is what keeps me more happy and ‘sane’. I rely on and recommit to my faith daily. In the past, my practice of faith was not strong. When I did not actively practice faith, I felt a lot more stress and anxiety in my daily life. I’ve learnt to have faith in the unknown and keep the faith during the most uncertain times and the secure, more certain times. Having faith helps you trust more in yourself and in life. This lesson has taught me that faith is one key ingredient that needs to be consistently practised on the journey of achieving your dreams and most happy and fulfilled life. Moreover, faith in yourself, God and in life.

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. – Hebrews 11.1

Affirmation: “I keep and hold the faith even if it’s just as little as a mustard seed.”

Once I started living in alignment with my true values, I created a lot more peace in my life. I had core values but I wasn’t fully aware of what they were. I also had values that I got to redefine as I grew older. I’ve learnt that living in alignment with my values adds to my happiness, fulfilment and freedom tremendously. It also helps you have more clarity in your everyday decisions and big life decisions. I now choose to live a life that is in alignment with my values because I know I’m a lot happier, fulfilled and sure of myself when I do. This is one of the compasses that guide and influence my everyday and big decisions in life. Being strong in and living true to your values creates a strong foundation for you to fall back on and influences more alignment in your life.

I used to look for meaning and search for my purpose in life. I do believe that you do find meaning and purpose, but I also believe you create it. You create it based on your perception & formulation of the experiences that you have experienced. When I got too caught up in the meaning of life, joy was what truly brought me back to meaning. Yep, the joy I experience when I laugh with good friends. The joy I feel when I dance in my bedroom to music. The joy I feel when I’m creating and sharing good times and memories with the ones I love. When I feel joy I feel connected to something bigger than myself, because I know that we all have access to joy. When I feel joy, I can experience feeling connected with everyone.

Come back to the little things in life. For me, meaning is found in the now. Meaning is found in this moment right now as you are reading point number 20 of this blog post :). I have a tattoo on my arm, ‘All here now’ that reminds me to be all here now. And, when I get reminded of this, it reminds me of what truly matters, the present moment and what I choose to do with it and make of it. I now feel meaning and purpose every day. It didn’t come without knowing what it feels like to not feel meaning and not know my purpose. I guess you could say I found meaning, discovered it, uncovered it along the way and I created it, or all of this!

Have more fun and get out of your own way. Many times we stop ourselves from doing the thing we want to do because of ‘this and that, so and so’, and the shoulds from ourselves and the shoulds from others. What if there was none of that? What if you got out of your own way and allowed yourself to be happy and do the things you want to do full stop? I would tell my younger self to, think less. Play more. Live in alignment with your values.

I’ve learnt that not everything has to mean something. I can just do things (that are also true to my values) for the sake of living & experiencing life and because it makes me happy. I would get in my own way through procrastination, overthinking, being too cautious to not get it wrong and being super critical of my actions and who I was (a case of perfectionism). This only inhibited me from being authentically who I am and doing what I came here to do. Don’t stop yourself from going after your dreams, being who you are and doing what you love. Not now, not ever. Let go and accept that we are always learning, growing and evolving. With this lesson, I’m learning to integrate and accept that there is no right or wrong way, there’s just living the life that’s truly true to you and your values.

When I was a bit younger, it felt as if the dreams I wanted to achieve came easier to me back then. Now, as I’m growing older it feels like the dreams that I now desire to achieve require a lot more patience, perseverance and resilience. The dreams that I am now working towards achieving are more long-term, sustainable dreams that I desire to last my entire lifetime. My dreams when I was younger were more short-term and not long-lasting, but lasting in extraordinary memories. I could not resonate more with this quote in my current season of life, “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” – Beverly Sills.

Reminder: The work, commitment and consistent action that you put in now, will help you achieve and get to where you want to be in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 + years from now. When things get tough, rough and don’t turn out how you thought they would, develop patience, perseverance and resilience. Practise rest and taking time out, but not giving up. Try again, respond differently, change your approach, grow, learn, think outside the box, embrace new possibilities and always keep on being you. If there’s a will, there’s a way. Make the effort towards that which truly matters to you.

Once I started reconnecting with my family roots, healing from and forgiving my past I started to feel a lot more grounded, safe and secure. My family and I have gone through a lot and are far from an ‘all-together’ family. One important lesson that I have learned in this is that even though some of my family members are not behaving in a loving manner towards each other, I can be the change, the difference that does act in a different, healthy, loving way. One of my core values is family. We are not perfect, I have healthy boundaries with my family and I love and accept them for who they are. I don’t try to change them, I try to change my own life.

Family and your true friends matter. Additionally, having true friends in your life matters. Make the effort to stay connected and in touch with them. Tell them that you love them and are so grateful for them. Nurture those true friendships and partnerships that truly have your back and make you feel alive! Remember, if you are a traveller like me who doesn’t always live in the same city as your close friends, this does not mean you don’t have to not stay connected with them. Continue to deepen and grow those friendships wherever you are. Now, I have true, close friends from all over Australia and the world that I still stay connected with and get to meet up with wherever we are in the world. Life gets full, make time for your true friends and family, no matter where you and they are.

Life is too precious to not live the life you dream of for yourself and know to be true. Too short to not live the life that feels true to you, rather than the perceived limits that you put on yourself or that others tell you. Push through your limits, break through the ceiling and achieve your dreams. You are more than capable and worthy of succeeding. This lesson taught me to stop settling for less out of a scarcity mentality and fear. It taught me to carve my own path when the life I thought I was supposed to live doesn’t work out. Because, if this was my last day on earth I would want to live my best life.

If you can hold it in your heart, you can have it in your hands.

Journal Prompt: What do you cherish most? What truly matters to you?

This lesson has taught me to come back to this often and live my life my way– prioritising what truly matters to me and what I love, cherish and appreciate most. What truly matters to you and what you cherish & appreciate most is a good signal of what/where your values lie.

Action prompt: Are you going to talk about all the things that you want to do, change and achieve, or are you actually just going to do it?

It’s truly beneficial to become your own best friend and enjoy your company in this world. Spending time in solitude can be a great way to get to know more about yourself. Knowing more about yourself matters. When you know yourself more, you can live more in alignment with the life that’s true to you, your needs, desires, values, dreams and interests. Get to know and see it all, the quirks, the weirdness, the behaviours & patterns, the good, the bad and the ugly. One big challenge that I got to overcome when I first started spending more time in solitude was that I kept having this thought that, “I should be somewhere else, doing something else, with someone else.” I had a big fear of missing out which caused me to not be fully present.

Eventually, when I started not running away from my problems, I outran my problems.

Through solitude, I got to realise and shift the belief of missing out by actually being with it. Staying with me. When we run away from our problems they will continue to come with us wherever we may go. Being with yourself, allows you to uncover, decide on the solutions and give yourself the result to your problem. You have keys that lie within you to create positive shifts and changes in your life. Something that I remember when I am doing the inner work to create a change on the outside is- as within, so without. Thus, your inner reality can reflect and influence your outer reality. Tip: Become the version of you that acts like, feels like and thinks like that vision, that dream of yours is already here. Trust that it’s already a given.

Action Prompt: Make time in your week for solitude. Get quiet, slow down and lovingly be with yourself.

Love,

Lana

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I’m thinking about creating this as a yearly series, what do you think? Please feel free to comment below on how you enjoyed this post. What resonated with you most?

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