COVID Bringing You Down | 5 Life Skills To Change Your Future

5 Life Skills To Learn In Your 20s

Your twenties may seem like the most fun and carefree years of your life but have you taken a moment to learn life skills you may find essential when you live past this time? It is easy to be swayed by youthful exuberance, perfect skin and body (maybe), and the fast life this era presents. Here is the news, though; do you know because of COVID-19, almost half of adults aged eighteen and above live in a home where unemployment has unfortunately occurred? It is scary, but that notwithstanding, the decisions you make today may become the foundation needed to propel you to greater heights in your years ahead.

Learn to budget

Perhaps, you have no parental or other immediate responsibility that requires you to set spending targets on your monthly income. Between February and May 2020, about fourteen percent of Americans lost their jobs due to the economic repercussions of COVID-19. More so, just from February to April of the same year, unemployment rates increased from 3.5% to 19%.

These figures should be a wake-up call to begin to stick to a budget. All it takes is a few minutes of your day to track your monthly expenses to see where your money is going. Begin to set money aside into savings accounts and investments. Later on, you will realize that the money you saved in your twenties set you up with a strong credit history to own properties.

Learn skills beyond your 9-to-5 job

It is a good thing to have a regular job that requires your attention within the usual work hours of nine to five. But have you considered dedicating time to acquire a new skill outside these hours? People often get settled in their respective careers and think nothing of learning anything outside of it.

Gaining knowledge is power, and improving your career has benefits, but seeking skills that do not apply directly to your profession is a bonus. As you break the cycle of eating, working and sleeping, consider learning a new language, or maybe you can even learn to code.

If you’re a lover of the great outdoors, you may want to try out a new hobby such as camping for example. You can search online for campers for sale to kick start your new adventures. Whatever you plan, that extra skill you pick up could be beneficial in the coming years.

Learn to derive positivity from criticism

Naturally, nobody likes to receive reprimands or criticism. This is even more true in your twenties, when youthful exuberance is at its peak, you may not want to be told you’re wrong or told what to do. Constructive criticisms build up character rather than break you down.

Therefore, in your twenties, strive to see such feedback as channels to help improve yourself. The sooner you learn this, the better it will be to handle future situations in a mature manner. Avoiding the natural tendency to resent the person offering the critique makes you a better person and open to positivity.

Learn to be resilient

You may encounter failed relationships, a failed job interview, or the loss of a loved one in your early adulthood. These can be emotionally draining and tough to deal with, but you need to figure out how to bounce back with a better life view. Frankly, it doesn’t get any better as you age because these are all a part of life. What matters in these situations is your ability to withstand, recover, and still keep your sanity. It is an excellent skill worth learning and fine-tuning as you advance in age. I’m 35 years old and it does not and will not get easier with time. I went through something heartbreaking in the last year and yes, I broke for just a little bit, but in the end it made me stronger then I could imagine.

Learn to communicate effectively

Communication skills become more critical as you progress into early adulthood; after all, your relationships depend on it. As you come into contact with people from diverse backgrounds and with different perspectives, your ability to communicate effectively could make or break you. Communication is not only about eloquence and command over a language. It’s something you learn to enable you to express yourself appropriately. Today, many expressions tend to be very offensive. Begin to learn the differences now, and you may avoid an embarrassing situation in future.

As you enjoy this period of your life, remember that time is your most precious resource. Sadly, it is one thing you can never get back. Therefore, do not waste your twenties. Learn to push yourself to grow into a responsible person who values the essence of life’s stages. Appreciate the people around you, especially those who go out of their way to check on you regularly. It is one great way to nurture and maintain your social network as you grow.