25 Self Care Lessons For Mindfulness Month

1. Prioritize people. Friends and family. People aren’t todo lists or Jira tasks. Take time to cherish those closest around you. Career and financial goals can be achieved in tandem with a healthy personal life. Make efforts, not excuses.

2. Love. Unconditionally.

3. Cherish friends. They’re the people you laugh at and with. They’re your confidants and cornerstones. Your relationship may evolve over time, but it is up to you as much as it is up to them to sustain the friendship.

4. Become an ally. Recognize and check your privileges. In today’s political climate, step up and speak up for those from marginalized groups.

5. Fail fast forward. View your life as a permanent beta, so practice rapid prototype and testing. Learn from your mistakes and keep marching onward.

6. Be green. Avoid plastic bottles. Buy a reusable water bottle if you don’t already own one. And recycle. It’s better for (y)our planet.

7. Learn to apologize first. Put ego and pride aside.

8. Have mentors. They’re your board of advisors when it comes to career and personal goals. There are four types of mentors out there: coaches, ideators, promoters, and advisors. Some may even become close friends!

9. Be a catalyst. Give back and pay it forward. You’re never too young to be a mentor or role model. Be the spark that ignites someone’s dream.

10. Practice gratitude. Whether it’s verbally or written, let people know how much you appreciate them. Don’t take anyone or anything for granted. Be part of a community to keep you accountable.

11. Be kind. Leave a trail of positivity in the world. Whether it's through your work, service, or words. Smile. Turn that frown upside down. Don’t let your temper affects those around you. Hold the door for that stranger tomorrow.

12. Be kind to yourself. Maybe your career is not moving as fast as you want it to be. It’s alright. We all move at different speeds. And success is how you define it.

13. Define your own success. We all start at zero and work towards infinity. Infinity can mean different things for different people. Don’t compare.

14. Practice empathy. Practice perspective taking. See the world in someone else’s shoes. Understand that their world is their truth. Stay out of judgment. 

15. Be present. Put your iPhone away. Emails can wait. Focus on the people in front of you.

16. Stay curious. You might be out of college, but learning is a lifelong journey. Take the design course that you’ve been wanting to take at your local General Assembly. Follow thought leaders and publications that cover your industry.

17. Speak up. Feel a bit overwhelmed? Need help at work? Ask.

18. Cook more. Besides being economical and healthier, food brings people together. People come for the food, but stay for the good company. And who doesn’t like homemade avocado toasts (ahem, millennials!). 

19. Work with leaders you respect. Work with managers and leaders you respect and aspire to become.

20. Pursue passion projects. Find things that light you up outside of work or school. Do things because they make you happy, not because they’ll help you land your next job.

21. Do it. Turn that wildest dream into a reality. Whether it’s starting a local bookclub with your friends or doing a TEDx Talk, keep yourself accountable and make it happen.

22. Have fun. Make a to do list. Then crumble it up, put it away, and go to the beach. Say yes to that last minute weekend road trip.

23. Embrace yourself. Your early 20s are transformative years to discover and embrace your identity. Also, you’re human, so laugh and cry to your heart's content.

24. Never settle. Separate the noise from the signal. Learn to turn down and walk away from things that don't make you happy. Deep down you know these things aren’t a good fit for your career or life.

25. Take bold chances. This is the best time to take calculative risks. If it’s entrepreneurship, do it when the time and people variables are aligned.

Which lessons stood out to you? Would you add anything else to this list? Comment below!