Today, I turn 22. I wrote this post as a way to reflect on the last 22 years of life, and to help me remember the important lessons I’ve learned so far.
But I also wrote this post for you.
I believe you may find some nuggets of wisdom in here as well. Many of the lessons I’ve learned have come from family, friends, and folks wiser than myself. I am very grateful to each one of them. I’ve also tried to sprinkle a few extra links throughout this post to give you some further learning
22 life lessons learned in 22 years of living
1. Love Jesus, love people, do good. Nothing is more important than this.
2. Rest is good. Learn to rest and enjoy it.
3. Challenge and change conventional thinking when necessary; much of it is blindly accepted, unfruitful, and not what’s most beneficial for humanity, yourself, or your family. (For more on this, read This book
4. Your personal growth / self-development is one of the best gifts you can give to your family, friends, and the world. (Only a tree that is alive and healthy can produce good fruit. The same is true for humans.)
5. Learn to manage your money, or your money will manage you. (Read The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness
6. Get out of debt and stay out of debt FOREVER! Debt sucks life away from people, enslaving them to a bank and their bills, rather than allowing them to freely live and give as they please.
7. Pray for wisdom and seek wisdom.
8. Surround yourself with godly, wise, and honorable men (or women, if you’re a lady).
9. Work is good. Find work you enjoy doing, and work that helps the world, and do it diligently.
10. Be the CEO of your own life. Don’t sit around and wait for someone to give you orders; take charge and chart a course/tell a story with your life that blesses the world, honors God, and does good.
11. Pray, dream, plan, act. No need to complicate things 
12. “Readers are leaders, and leaders are readers.” Keep reading books!
13. Your energy is one of the most valuable resources.
14. The best dating and marriage advice ever received: “Become the person that the person you are looking for is looking for.” – Andy Stanley
15. Life is most enjoyable when we have loving, thriving, deep relationships with others. Pursue deep relationships with others. Initiate conversations and pursue friendships. Dont hesitate and speculate about whether or not people want to be your friend.
16. Give, give, and give to others.
17. Be grateful for every day, and every blessing. All of life is a gift of grace.
18. Appreciate your family and friends, and tell them you appreciate them.
19. Marketing and Sales are two of the most important skills anyone can learn, no matter what field of work they are in.
20. Become really, really good at a economically valuable craft/skill.
21. Church is the people of Jesus Christ; not a building or event.
22. All of us die, yet, there is also a resurrection and new life for those who love Jesus. Live life in light of this hope and reality!
Question: What’s one of the most important life lessons you’ve learned in life? Please share with us (no matter what age you are)!
