20 Things Every Woman In Her 20s Must Know by Jennifer Ehidiamen

1. Love and honour your mother. Learn from her mistakes. It will save you a lot of headache in your thirties (30s) and beyond.

2. You are more talented than you’ll ever know. You don’t need to sleep with your Boss/supervisor to get a promotion at work or better grades at school. Burn late night candles, put extra time to study and practice until you master your skill. Hard work still pays well.

3. Women can build a strong support network. Don’t let few ladies with “Pull Her Down” syndrome discourage you from cultivating true relationship with your female friends.

4. When a man you meet for the first time babbles about how much he earns working for an oil company and how rich he is, that is a red flag. He is either a married smooth-talker who just wants to sleep with you or he is childish. Walk away from deceit.

5. Make your own money. Start small. Maintain a stable bank account. It will keep you out of trouble.

6. When you meet your Soulmate, don’t forget to wear your most priceless ornament- submission and humility. But while waiting for him, don’t cling to any man to rescue you. Some men these days are also seeking for who will rescue them.


7. Know your body. Look at yourself in front of a full-length mirror at least once a week, naked and after clothed. Know your body and how it works.

8. Life is a gift. But to revel in it, you must be ready to put a lot into nurturing your gifts/talents and skills. Start early.

9. Teenage ended at 19. Clocking 20 means doing away with childish behaviour. But it does not mean you should forget to have fun.

10. Learn the basic skills and let yourself grow- from how to keep your underwear clean, cook, socialize, and network to how to drive a car.

11. Don’t do drugs. It kills. Read books, its fortifies. Dance as often as you can, it liberates your spirit, soul and body.

12. Learn to laugh at yourself. It is a good way to build a healthy self-esteem.

13. Eat healthy. Learn to cook for yourself. Don’t rely on noodles alone. The cooking skill will be useful in future.

14. Don’t give up when you fail. Try again. And again. Then, try another legit way. Don’t give up on education/learning.

15. Fear of the future is just that- a fear. It is a state of mind you must learn to tame. Don’t let fear pull the carpet from under your feet. The Holy Bible tells us that God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.

16. Let go of past hurts. You cannot move forward if you keep looking back. Holding on to bitter experiences and regrets will stale your future.

17. Learn to exhale, love deeply and be kind to others, especially those of low estate, and the lowest of low.

18. You are beautiful the way you are. Don’t compare yourself to others.

19. Partnership builds bridges. Don’t ever forget that.

20. Prayer is the master key. Have faith in God and always have the courage to use your voice wisely. Dream bigger.

Bonus: Enjoy the highs and lows that come with being in your 20s but don’t be afraid to grow older. Live life to the fullest and don’t forget to smile!

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Writer: Jennifer Ehidiamen is a Senior Reporter and Media Trainer at Global Press Institute (GPI). She is reporting on health and development in Nigeria with a grant from the International Reporting Project in Washington, D.C. http://internationalreportingproject.org. This article was first published on Femme Lounge