Photo by Chronis Yan on Unsplash

Young adulthood is one of the most turbulent times in a person’s life. If you’re anything like me, you no longer live with your parents, you’ve moved around a few times, and you’re figuring out where to settle and put down roots longer-term.

This is the time to be figuring out political beliefs more solidly, and it’s challenging to walk that journey when political identity formation is contrary to the beliefs you grew up in with your family or friends.

It’s the season to start the first stage of a career, whether that first stage includes secondary degrees, low-paying jobs, or figuring out what direction you even want to go.

Wherever your journey has taken you in your 20s so far, making these 5 investments will ensure that you’re set up for your 30s and beyond.

1. Building a Support System

Your relationships have a greater impact on who you become than anything else in your life. Want to figure out who you are? Look at who you attract and who you spend time with.

You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with

If your relationships are all born out of convenience, maybe co-workers or neighbors, they might not be the ones you really want to be turning into.

The cool thing is that there are tons of tools out there to meet others with similar interests, whether that’s Shapr for professional networking, MeetUp for shared hobbies, or Facebook groups for anything. All it takes is the first step to put yourself out there and find what fits for you.

Building strong, healthy relationships with people you want to be more like is critical for becoming the person you want to be.

2. Setting Yourself Up Financially For the Long-Term

The 20s are typically not a time of financial abundance, and that’s why budgets and cost-cutting measures are hyper important to develop in this season.

The best thing to do in your 20s is to live below your means.

“People who live far below their means enjoy a freedom that people busy upgrading their lifestyles can’t fathom.” Naval Ravikant.

As paychecks begin to grow, it is imperative to keep a strict budget that is not based on the most recent pay-raise but instead is based on a wage lower than that.

By living below your means and keeping a budget that has savings and margin built into your lifestyle, you will be able to pay off debt faster, be protected against financial troubles, and build up an emergency fund that can safeguard against crises that otherwise would break the bank.

This financial habit will not only serve you well during your 20s, but setting it up early in your life will put you on track to lead a financially free life well past your 20s for the rest of your days.

3. Pursuing Education And Building Relevant Career Skills

Traditionally, your 20s are a time for an undergraduate college degree and maybe even secondary degrees. While there has been more encouragement of alternatives to college, the point is that education is key.

Your 20s are a time where you’re early enough in your career that you can invest in yourself without an excuse. I got my Bachelor’s Degree in marketing, but even still, getting free certifications like Google Analytics can supplement your resume whether you have a degree or not.

Education is everywhere, and the barrier to entry has never been lower. Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, Shaw Academy, and Gumroad are providing courses and certifications that can boost your career for prices as low as free.

“Every skill you acquire doubles your odds of success.” -Scott Adams

A college degree and online education are not meant to be mutually exclusive, and they can supplement each other extremely well, regardless of your field.

Free courses are always worth your time, and if you find a course that’s extremely relevant for your field, paying for it will be an investment that’s always worth it and pays dividends throughout the rest of your life.

4. Building Content Creation Experience

Using a platform like Medium or even TikTok, Twitter or Instagram, there is infinite opportunity to build a brand, garner an audience, and even monetize content in your 20s.

What is obvious to you is amazing to others. — Derek Sivers

It doesn’t need to be content about anything that’s life-changing, but sharing content about something that’s important (or just interesting) to you is challenging and motivating in ways that few other experiences are.

While not everyone will become Charli D’Amelio or make millions, having experience with content creation is a skill that all fields will need moving forward.

Whether that’s podcasting experience, writing experience, or social media experience, content marketing is the future of media, and having experience creating content helps you understand the future.

Even in a field that’s not tied to marketing, having practice putting thoughts into words for professional writing is one of the greatest skills you can develop for your career.

5. Taking Care of Your Body

It’s infinitely easier to stay in shape than it is to get in shape. Instead of letting your prime physical years go to waste with McDonald’s and Netflix, invest in a gym membership, and actually use it.

This habit will benefit you physically, mentally, and emotionally, and it will set you up for decades to come.

If you can’t take care of yourself in your 20s, it won’t get easier in your 30s and 40s. But if you set the habits up while you’re young, maintaining them into your later years is easier than starting it.

Your 20s are a turbulent season, but by making these 5 investments, you set yourself up for stability far beyond your 20s. These good habits will help you reap rewards for the rest of your life, no matter what else is thrown at you.

When you have a support system, live below your means, get educated, create content, and take care of your body, anything becomes possible. It doesn’t matter what else is going on, your control over yourself and the way you show up will always take precedent over the challenges at hand.