Being in 20s is the most difficult and under pressure time in one's life. So much has to be done then, you need to sort out career, be aware of people around you, check for bad guys and the good ones, establish yourself as a person, and many more such things. You are constantly busy in achieving and doing more, with the fear that if you don't, then you'll be lost amidst people. However, in between all these norms of society, you forget to live your life.

It is every important in the society we live to act in a certain way. People around wants us to follow the same route that everyone has taken before, yet expects for different results from us. This is little bit unrealistic expectations from them. You have to take a different way for making an image of your own in this crowded world. And 20s is the ideal time when you should start taking initiatives for this. Because this is the time when you don't have baggage of responsibilities with you or other more important issues going in your life. This is the perfect time to shape your life as you want, and in the direction, you always dreamed of.

We all have been there in our 20s, and we know how it is only about proving something, all by your own. You won't know, and it'll be a battle of ego in sometime. And with all this craziness going, these years of 20s will be lost even before you realizing about it. All these years will be wasted over something that has made no difference in your life. You will be tricked with your own plots and plans for life. But who do you blame for this? It is your fault. You kept chasing for wrong and temporary things, when you should have been ideally looking for happier and stable life. So what actually should one do in these confusing 20s. Believe me when I say, that no one is ever going to tell you this.

These are 13 goals you should actually aim for when in 20s, to keep count of the years without losing your mind.

Know Yourself

First and foremost thing a person should do is to understand oneself. Many of us live life without truly knowing ourselves. We always want to be like some other person, like some fictional character or a celebrity, making us forget what we actually are. 20s is the perfect time to figure out who you are when alone and in crowd. Take out some time of figure out what you want from your life, without thinking about the people around you. Understanding yourself will help you in knowing how to grow as a person and be unique in this crowded society.

Stay Holistically Healthy

This is the era of being workaholic. And it is good, but it comes with a price, you start neglecting your own health. In addition, you won't even realize about your negligence till you are struck by a wake-up call. Do not wait for something to go wrong with you, instead start taking care of yourself and follow a healthy lifestyle. It is said, these are the years when you can make yourself get into a habit. So start working out, having healthy diet, and taking enough rest for staying healthy. You can also enrol yourself in some physical activity you like to stay active and stress free. Always remember, prevention is better than cure.

Recognize The Core Values

By the age of 20s, you should be well aware of what you can stand to and what not. We all are different and unique because of our core values. It defines who we really are. By this time, you should have idea of what things hold value to you. You should learn to stand for your values, even if it means standing alone. If you haven't known your core values, then this is the right time, as you won't get time later in your life to learn all these basics.

Understand Your Emotions

Understanding and coming in terms with emotions is one of the important part of being your own self. We are always in denial mode or hesitant when it comes to owning our emotions. You need to understand that we are born this way, and all type of emotions will always surround you, as they are meant to be around us. You have to start accepting your feelings. Let it be love, hate, anger, sadness, happiness, or aggression, owning your emotions is like taking first step in accepting who you are and loving yourself.

Unleash Your Soul

This is the time when you need to understand that you need to bare your soul. If you have feelings, express them. If you love someone, then tell them. If you want to say something, then say it. If you care about someone, show that in your actions. If you find something is wrong around you, then point that out. People tend to forget how beautiful it feels to just be themselves and expressing self. Unleashing soul will help you feel lighter and make you ready for the things approaching your life.

Embrace Imperfections

We always hear that no one is perfect, and that is true. You should not worry about your imperfections, because that makes you unique and special. You need not be jealous of someone, or try to upgrade your versions. You need to understand that with time, you will learn things and grow in life, but for now, the only thing you need to learn is to embrace your imperfections. If you keep on defending yourself and not accepting your faults, then there are very little chances of you growing. Therefore, embrace them, and never let someone else show you down.

Learn To Manage Stress

Stress is something that will be your companion all throughout the life. So this is the best time you learn how to manage and overcome stress. Get involved in social life, try spending more time with friends and family to relieve stress. You can also engage yourself into physical activity like running, exercises, swimming, or any other sports you like. For mental peace, you can also try including meditation in your daily routine. These are the years to learn managing stress, so that you don't have to face any problems later on in life because of this mental issue.

Cherish People Around You

We normally make this mistake of taking people for granted, especially those who are always available for us. This is one of the bigger mistakes you will be making in your life, as they won't be always available for you, unless you cherish them. You have to start showing them how important they are to you, and what importance they have in your life. After all, you won't be having hundreds of friends all your life, just few important ones. So cherish those few important people, and never take them for granted.

Focus On Career

20s is the ideal time when you can experiment with different career options. You can figure the shit out, fall down and pick yourself up, and do everything all over again till you settle down for that one career where you belong. This is because once you are older, your focus will naturally divert to other important things going in life, and you won't have time left to think over career thing. So experiment all you want but get settled for something you like. This is the time when you need to settle down with your career option, because it is now or never.

Start Networking

You need to increase your circle, not just the normal friends one but also your circle of influence. Creating your own network is about influencing people by leaving an impression on them. You should learn to speak out your opinions about things and stand by them even if the whole world decides to go against you. This is how people will remember you, and you will be able to establish your own network of influence. This will definitely enhance your personality and will help in your development. But do not get confuse between your friends and influencers, there is a big difference between two. You need to have circle of influence to grow in your life.

Be Prepared For Rainy Days

Life is very unpredictable, and we all have our share of happiness and sadness, good days and bad days. So it is always better to have a back-up plan for such days when life begins to go south. Let it be personal, financial, or medical, you should start planning for such days right from now, as it is never too early to start planning. This time is apt for planning and implementing things, as there are very less things in your platter.

Take Ownership and Responsibility

20s is the time when you need to start building your character. Learning to take responsibility and ownership will help you a lot down the road. If you have made a mistake, then learn to accept it; if you have messed things up, then try and rectify them. And this concept does not apply only for workplaces and finances, it is also valid for the people and relations in your life. Everyone appreciates a person taking responsibility rather than blaming it on circumstances and others around. Just by learning this small thing, you will be able to influence people a lot, and make your own positive image in front of everyone. Learn to apologise; it will make you a bigger person.

Love And Be Loved

Give and take is a policy that have its grip in everything around us. Love is one among such many things. You need to give love in order to receive some. Best kind of love is the one that stays forever. But to keep this fire alive, you need to fan it with your warmness and kindness over and over. Love knows no boundaries or age, but it does understand patience, dedication, and devotion, so introduce these qualities in you. Age has nothing to do with love, it can knock on your door at any time in your life. It is amazing feeling that makes everyone a better person. So if you find love even for a moment, choose that love to change yourself.

I do understand 20s is the most difficult time for you, but if you plan properly, you will be flying high. No matter what people think about you know, your success and hard work will make everything count. And people remembers who you are as a person than anything else. So be a good human being, and trust me, everyone around you will love you for what you are. The best thing about being a good human being is not difficult at all. You only need to be polite and caring for people around you and sincere with your efforts. These few years of 20s is what your entire life will be. So invest these years for something good, something great.

These are simple but mostly ignored things. There are many other things that one should think to aspire, but those come after you achieve these. Try including and aiming for these simple things in your life, and see where your life takes you. You can thank me later (wink, wink).

If you think I have missed any of the essential tips, then please do let me know in the comment section below. I hope you have a great 20s and a bright future ahead.