Every time I interview a 40-something woman for 40:20 Vision I ask them what 3 “gifts” would they give a 20-something if they were a “Forty-Godmother”. Here’s one woman’s gifts:
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A sense of self-worth that no one can take that away from you. Only you let them.
2.
Education. That really comes from my heart. I know some people may not be able to get education but it’s not just learning more math, business or science or history. It’s not just going to college and grad school. There are so many doors as far as what the world has to offer if you let it. It’s not just confined to the classroom. It just opens your mind more to the world.
3.
Live your life to the fullest. That you’ll never regret. In my twenties, I could’ve done so much more. I could have travelled more or joined the Peace Corps. Things I never did thinking that I could always do it later in life. There’s a lot of things I can’t do now because I have my children. I have financial responsibilities but I would’ve loved to join the Peace Corps. People talked me out of it. They made me afraid because of financial security and the conditions or that I might get sick.
So just live your life to the fullest. In your twenties, invest in yourself too. Get a loan. Go to do something. You have the rest of your life to pay back that $10,000. Invest in going to business because you can afford not to succeed in business or to open a restaurant. Some businesses are so risky but if that’s your passion, your love, do it. You can afford to fail at things in your twenties that you can’t afford to fail at your forties and fifties. Seize the moment. You can fail and learn and pick up your efforts and you never have to look back and “Oh I wish.” You can fail in your twenties and be okay.