Precisely a month ago, I was discussing with my siblings and in between the conversation one of them asked me;
'Bukola, how old will you be in March?'
'I will be turning 22' I said with a big smile on my face knowing what their reaction would be.
You see in my house, I am the youngest child and my siblings find it hard to believe I keep growing and evolving everyday. If it were up to them really, they will ensure I remain 15 for as long as possible which is not a bad idea though.
'22, Wow!! You are now a big girl o. I can't believe it. You are getting older'
Still smiling, I said, 'Yeah, I am but not to worry I intend to remain 22 for a very long time'
How is that even possible? Well, I asked myself the same question sometime back and GUESS WHAT!! I have found the regimen to staying young forever and I am super excited to share it with you.
In this article, I provide helpful tips to guide you on your journey to youthful living. Here we go.
1. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
This is the most important key to opening the door of success and staying young forever. The truth is it takes just one person to believe in you and that person is YOU. The whole world can believe in you but if you do not make a conscious decision to start believing in yourself, you will achieve nothing.
2. BE INTENTIONAL WITH YOUR TIME
We have 24 hours in a day. The sad part is a lot of us waste every hour doing things that we don't want to do. We happen to live in a time where everyone cannot but bow to societal standards and so we waste every moment trying to mold ourselves into what society wants us to be at the expense of who we really are. Personally, I have learnt to draw a distinction between what I want and what society expects of me. Drawing this distinction helps you in becoming more intentional with your time. If I know that I will be uncomfortable in a particular gathering, I refuse invitations to be there. If something does not align with my values, I discard it immediately. Learn to say, NO. It is very important as it will aid you in managing your time efficiently and building a life you will be thankful for.
3. TAKE CHARGE OF OPPORTUNITIES
Have you ever wondered why people are quick to use the word 'lucky' whenever someone achieves a milestone? I have and in fact I am guilty of using that exact word too. The truth however is, no one gets lucky. What we call luck is simply preparation meeting opportunity. Taking charge of opportunities does not only mean being able to identify opportunities. It means being prepared (mentally, socially, intellectually, e.t.c.) so that you will be adequately positioned and ready to maximize opportunities. So you want to do a masters program in an ivy league? Have you tried leveraging LinkedIn to search for people who have gone the same route and network with them to know the skills and experiences you need to build so that when the time comes for you to apply, your application will not be discarded? You want to work in a particular organisation? Try forging connections with people who are already there to know what they did differently to land their job. To have a meaningful and purposeful life you must take charge of opportunities.
4. GET YOUR FINANCES TOGETHER
I cannot overemphasize how getting your money in order is very instrumental to helping you stay youthful. If someone had told me this 3 years ago, I will definitely be smiling anytime I look at my savings. I always thought I was too young to invest. I mean, who cares! investments are for old people right? My money is for me to blow. When I start working and I start earning XYZ, I will start investing. If you have this orientation, you need to change it ASAP*. Consciously discover what you have been spending money unnecessarily on and start budgeting ASAP. That is why we have created our ready to use free budgeter. It has been a game changer for me and everyone who is using it and I am sure it would definitely be useful to you too. At the very beginning it will be difficult to follow through but once you do, you'll thank yourself for making the decision to get your finances in order.
5. DROP EVERY SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT
If you ask me, what the fastest way to die is? My response will definitely be feeling entitled. Yes you heard me right! No one owes you anything and once you come to terms with that, your relationships become more fulfilling. When people do things for you, it is because they want to, not because they are under some obligation. Some people will choose not to be with you for reasons that has nothing to do with you. When that happens, look elsewhere for the relationships you want. You owe it to yourself to be the best person possible. So quit whining, start building the life you want and drop every sense of entitlement.
Now, I hope I have done a good job convincing you that; Believing in yourself, Being intentional with your time, Taking charge of opportunities, Getting your finances in order and finally... Dropping every sense of entitlement are the secrets to staying young forever.