5 Life Rewarding Activities I Regret Not Starting in My Early 20s

How to live to your fullest in your 20s

My life was painfully uninteresting that even sleep found me dull.

I was close-minded.

I was not forward-thinking.

And I mostly stuck to my comfort zone.

Back in my younger days, I was basically on auto-pilot mode — choosing the path of least resistance, devoid of ambition, and surrendering to a monotonous existence.

Looking back, I’m haunted by the opportunities I missed in my early 20s.

Hence, In hopes of preventing others from following the same path, I want to share my top 5 Life-Enriching activities meant for solo exploration.

My belief is that by starting these early, you can experience significant personal growth and a deep sense of fulfillment.

1. Solo Traveling or Solo Date

Challenge yourself to explore life independently.

I was shackled to the beckoning glow of a computer screen.

My days had fallen into a repetitive pattern. Each day, I would wake up, fixate my gaze on the screen, and dive into a world of work emails and social media, with little time spent outdoors.

However, solo traveling during my late 20s changed all that.

“Adventure may hurt you, but monotony will kill you.”

Taking what was perhaps the most significant leap of faith in my life was initially daunting and uncertain.

But quickly, I found myself entranced by my own exploits of savoring local delicacies, exploring exotic places, and embracing diverse cultures.

Since then, this experience fueled my appetite for more adventures. It opened my eyes to the fact that life offers so much more than simply staying “comfortable” within the confines of my room or country.

As the saying goes,

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”

— Anais Nin

In your early 20s, you’re typically still in good physical shape, and your commitments tend to be smaller or more flexible. So make the most of it by embarking on solo adventures or even indulging in solitary explorations to unexplored places, cafes, routes, and malls around your area.

Cultivate that habit and thirst for adventure early in life.

2. Journaling / Self-Reflection

Analyze and challenge your thoughts and emotions.

I must admit, I was once an embarrassingly emotional person.

Managing emotions was a struggle for me. This led to overreactions that affected my personal well-being and relationships.

However, forming a habit of Journaling and self-reflection changed all that.

By writing down my thoughts in words,

• I was able to constantly revisit my actions and thoughts
• Scrutinize the motives behind my actions
• And identify my Trigger Points.

This gradual process led to an increase in mental clarity and resulted in better emotional management.

“The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.” — Lao Tzu

Journaling or engaging in self-reflection doesn’t necessitate a daily commitment. Allocating just 10 to 15 minutes at the end of the week is sufficient for this practice.

Some great thought-provoking questions to start asking yourself:

What are my highlights and lowlights for this week? How was I feeling emotionally and physically this week? What are some things I did well this week? What are some things I can improve on? Did I do anything this week that led me closer to my goals?

3. Engage in Forums

Engage in meaningful discussions. Don’t just passively consume.

My media consumption has always been passive or one-sided. Be it reading, watching online videos, or reading articles.

But you might wonder, what’s the issue with that?

Gradually, one-sided or passive consumption can have a numbing effect on your cognitive abilities, and promote a tendency to withhold your opinion.

“Have you ever experienced the regret of not expressing your thoughts well or failing to articulate your arguments better during a previous conversation?

That was me. Every time after an interview, discussion, or presentation…

Therefore, to attain a higher level of thinking or opinions, one should participate in meaningful, two-way discussions and cultivate the habit of consistently questioning your own perspectives and those of others.

For an introvert like me, I created such opportunities online.

Reddit has helped me a lot in that aspect.

I joined Reddit groups that are of interest to me (Local pages that talk about recent news trends, finance, data analytics, etc.)

I started commenting on posts that I had opinions on and eventually started posting questions on my own. This also allowed me to connect with like-minded people of similar interests and form a small community.

“The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Therefore, seek outlets and opportunities for self-expression and to challenge your own opinions in your early 20s. This cultivates a strong foundation and ability to form higher levels of thoughts and opinions.

4. Start a Hobby/Interest

My life was just Working > Eating > Sleeping > Repeat.

Every day I would just count down the hours until I got home.

I succumbed to a static state of existence, where comfort and the pursuit of money take precedence. It was a common pitfall I see many fall into too.

Yet, I realized life encompasses so much more than that and that’s how I started my own home-based cooking business and also found a community that loves hiking overseas.

Cooking was a creative outlet to express my creativity in trying new recipes. Hiking was a physical outlet to keep fit and a break from my daily work life.

“Your goal is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.”

In your early 20s, cultivating a hobby or passion is the lifeline to a vibrant future. It’s not just about leisure; it’s your gateway to discovering who you are, expanding your horizons, and igniting your potential.

Just as I’ve done, I believe it’s beneficial for everyone to nurture two types of hobbies — one that’s creative and another that’s physically engaging. This balanced approach can greatly enrich one’s life.

5. Side Projects or Side Hustles

If you can spend 8 hours a day working for someone’s dream, you can work 1 hour a day building yours.

I truly believe that everyone should be working on something outside of their work hours that can potentially get them out of their 9–5.

Your 20s are an ideal period for nurturing your entrepreneurial spirit and exploring your interests.

It is important to recognize that it doesn’t necessarily have to translate into starting a business right away. Instead, any activity that propels you even 1% closer to your dream business can be considered a success.

Whether it’s enrolling in an online course on platforms or taking classes in areas of interest, these are valuable steps in the direction of your ambitions.

“Every small step you take now can lead to significant progress later.”

Embracing such opportunities in your 20s can not only provide you with the skills and knowledge you need but also help you build the foundation for future business or venture opportunities.

This is the best time to lay the groundwork for your dreams and set yourself on a path toward achieving your long-term goals.

I hope my 5 curated life lessons for self-exploration have provided some form of inspiration or guidance for your life!

“Your 20s are the time to refine, define, and build a foundation for your future. So, dream big and work hard.”

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