Yes, I’m 23 and as much as I don’t like admitting that I’m getting older, I am (deep breath). Nobody likes to talk about their age, especially as they are getting older. And honestly, it shouldn’t matter. After all, it’s just a number. What’s important is what you’ve learned throughout the years to make you a better person.

Here are 23 things I learned by age 23:

1. Be nice to everyone you meet. Not because you want to leave a remarkable first impression (however, this doesn’t hurt), but simply because you don’t know what the other person is going through.  2. To forgive, to move on and to not hold grudges. It takes a lot of energy to hate, so seal that hatred up and throw it in the ocean. Just let it go and instead, use this energy to do something good for yourself. 3. Never be so comfortable that you stop chasing your dreams. Get up and work towards getting closer to it. 4. There is more to who you are than a college/undergraduate degree. It doesn’t define you or your future. 5. When I was younger, people used to tell me to enjoy my time, because time flies by after graduation and it sure does! It definitely flew by so fast… next thing you know, you’re already 23. 6. Take everything with a grain of salt, because it may look good at face value. But until you have experienced it for yourself, you don’t truly know. A lot of things are sugar coated. 7. It’s okay to make mistakes, as long as you give it your all because mistakes are the stepping stones to growing and learning.

8. The more control I have over my life, the better I feel. That’s one thing I learned this year, a lot of things I cannot control but when I can, I will do everything that I can to make sure that I’m headed in the right direction. 9. NEVER take anyone for granted and definitely make the time to spend it with those that matter. 10. You have to try and never say never. I never even knew I could do yoga poses until I tried and practiced. 11. You will meet a lot of people in your life, but only a few are keepers. 12. Be patient with everything that you do. Never rush and jump into anything. 13. Stay away from negativity and surround yourself with good people for positive vibes. 14. Don’t ever be a people-pleaser and don’t make a decision based on others’ approvals. 15. No one cares about your feelings when it comes to business. At the end of the day, it’s all about production. 16. Save your money in case of an emergency and don’t spend it on material things. 17. Drive safe because it’ll take a split second for an accident to happen. I’ve seen so many accidents ever since I started driving more often. In fact, I’ve seen someone passed away way too soon. So, please don’t drive and text, do make up, etc. BE SAFE. 18. Experiences mean nothing. Execution is king. 19. Always seek to better yourself by reading or learning from people you want to be like. 20. Embrace yourself and that it’s okay to love yourself (and put yourself) first before others. 21. Small changes in all the right places makes the biggest differences. An example is dieting or achieving your goals, you can’t achieve it all within the first day. It’s definitely a process. You don’t hit home run every single time. You’re going to get to where you want to be – as long as you trust the process and that you’re moving forward everyday. 22. Learn to outsource what you’re not good at. This way, you have more time to perfect what you are good at. This way, I learn to be great. 23. It’s okay to eat everything and anything you want. But, at the end of the day it’s all about self-control and knowing how much you can eat. Eat in moderation.

Lastly, try to be happy, because life is short. As cliche as it sounds, it is. You only get to live once, so make this a good one.