7 Life Lessons After Turning 31

After turning 31, I’ve reflected on some of my most important lessons. Here are seven that have shaped my journey and I would have advised my younger self to take heed of sooner:

1. Invest in a Healthy Mind

The best investment I’ve made is in nurturing a healthy mind. Mental well-being is the foundation upon which all other aspects of life are built. It’s the perspective through which we see and interact with the world. A healthy mind can make life a blessing, and an unhealthy one, a curse. But the beauty is we all have the capability to take ownership of it and make it our greatest priority. Vipassana meditation in particular has been transformative for me.

2. Physical Fitness

Physical fitness is immensely valuable, for health but also socially. This really goes hand in hand with mental wellness. Ignoring one will lead to the detriment of the other. Yet, beyond all the health and psychological benefits, being and looking well and strong in our social world has biologically rooted importance, and I really wish I would have understood that sooner.

3. Do What You Love

You’ll be happier and you’ll see success because you love it enough to give it the time and energy becoming good at anything requires.

4. Take Chances

Take chances. This goes with the last one. There were so many times my fear of failure or ridicule stopped me from exploring a path of interest. Better late than never, I learned life is a waste if we're not pursuing our interests. A loss or a win is always experience and a lesson.

5. Respect

Respect is crucial. Your quality of life is determined by the quality of your relationships with the other beings you share it with. Having more friends and fewer enemies actually makes life a lot more pleasant, even when sitting alone.

6. Forgive

We’re all only doing as good as we know. Patience and forgiveness are vital to nurturing a healthy relationship with ourselves and others.

7. Travel

Travel. Real travel. It’s one of the best ways to force your mind open to new perspectives. It’s allowed me to understand the world, and gain a clearer perspective on the cultures I’ve grown up in, and on humanity as a whole.

I hope some of these lessons resonated with you.

With love,

Naser