Dear 20 Something, Here Are 12 Promises You Should Make To Yourself And Keep

By Lilian Wamaitha
Life is tough at times and things may never work out the way we want them to, but how you view these setbacks makes all the difference. Learn to live and make memories that you will look back and be proud of years to come.
That said here are 12 promises that you should make to yourself and keep forever.
Related: An Open Letter To 20 Something Young Kenyans

1. “I will not hold the past against myself.”

The past is the past and you don’t have to punish yourself forever for the wrongs you made. We are all human, bound to have set backs so let them stay in the past because that’s where they belong.

2. “I will own my life and never deny responsibility for it.”

We live in a society where we are taught to blame others for our short comings. You don’t have a job yet? Well, it is not your fault. It is the government that is failing to create jobs for the youth. You need to take responsibilities of your actions and only then can you take the right steps to mend the mistakes you have made.

3. “I will speak kindly and consciously to myself.”

If you are the kind of person who never sees any good in themselves, you have no right to be living. Stop criticizing yourself for every mistake you make and thinking that you can never be good enough like so and so. It’s your life. Live it. Make mistakes and learn from them.

4. “I will listen to what my heart and soul is telling me.”

The greatest thing you can do for yourself is to always listen to your inner voice. We all have that voice, where you are about to do something but your guts tell you that you shouldn’t. Always go with that because high chances are that if you feel that the path you are about to take is the wrong one, it probably is otherwise you wouldn’t be having this gut wrenching feeling.

5. “I will live a life that feels right to me, not one that looks right to others.”

Stop being a people pleaser. Always live your life for yourself. Stop trying to please everyone, because you will only be disappointed. Human beings are a funny lot because no matter how much you try pleasing them, for some reason they will never see it. So, why not live for yourself and not them?

6. “I will let go of relationships that are obviously not meant to be.”

Not all relationships are meant to last. Some people just walk into our lives to help us learn something. Embrace that because it is a good thing. Thank them for teaching your something in the short time you have known them and move on to the next.

7. “I will not let any situation permanently steal my smile.”

Take a hard look at yourself and think about how far you have come. Yes. You have faced setbacks, heart breaks and disappointments but look how far you have come. Isn’t that something to be grateful for?

8. “I will celebrate and appreciate the life I have.”

Maintain your focus on what is important. Appreciate what you have done today and not what you haven’t done. Everything works for a reason after all.

9. “I will realize and use my power to make a difference.”

The world will always give you one hardship after another but you can rise above that. Instead of embracing hatred, learn to love. Instead of giving up, dare to dream. Instead of living in anger, learn to forgive. Instead of distrust, learn to believe.

10. “I will dedicate myself to personal excellence.”

Martin Luther King once said that you must strive to be the best you can be. If you can’t be the sun, be a star. If you can’t be a tree, be a bush and if you can’t be a highway, just be a trail. It is in learning to appreciate the best you can be, that you can achieve greatness.

11. “I will keep stretching myself beyond my previous level of comfort.”

Just because things don’t seem like they are working out right now doesn’t mean that you are failing. It only means that you have a chance to do more and excel some more.

12. “I will embrace the changes I know I need to make.”

Life is made up of holding on to some things and letting go of others. It is in embracing changes that come with a positive mind. Nothing is set on stone and as we have it, life must move on and with this comes changes.
Life is all about being positive and embracing what matters. It’s about holding on to what is important and being the best we can be. So dear 20 something, who feels like life is beating you from every direction – you are just growing!
Related: 10 Goals To Accomplish Before You Turn 30 
Lilian is a Communications and Digital Marketing Officer at Career Point Kenya. Contact her via lilian@www.careerpointkenya.co.ke. Got any comments on the article? Leave them below.