1. Don’t be afraid of uncertainty. Let go of the illusion of control.
2. Develop good habits as early as you can. It will behave like compound interest.
3. Don’t let your consumption crawl higher in tandem with your salary. Fancy restaurants are disappointing and are a waste of money.
4. Actively seek out old and new friends, don’t wait for them to reach out to you. They will be glad to (re)connect.
5. If you want to ruin a perfectly good hobby, try to make a living out of it.
6. Measuring and keeping track of some aspects of your life can be a useful skill, but don’t be a slave of the quantified self, and remember Goodhart’s law: When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.
7. Don’t compare yourself to others, especially not the online persona of others - that is an illusion. Compare yourself to your past self, or, even better, stop comparing altogether.
8. Read offline sometimes. Offline reading provides a deeper experience - you read differently. A Kindle is great, physical books are even better.
9. Try to let go of the past as soon as you can in your adult life, and focus on your present so you can have a great future.
10. If you want to learn about something, try to write a blog post about it.
11. Learning a language, even at a very basic level, can add a lot of fun to your life
12. Take care of your lower back. Hip bridges are a great exercise for those muscles in particular.
13. Don’t overdo muscle training. Your joints will thank you later.
14. Learn to enjoy a quiet evening at home.
15. They say time is money, but it’s actually a lot more than that: it’s the only thing you have. You can always make more money, but you will never have more time.
16. Realize that TV shows are made so you get addicted to them. Limit the amount of series you watch (or, even better, don’t watch them at all)
17. Long-form journalism can provide the great joy of being immersed in a story. Read a physical magazine once in a while - I can recommend the New Yorker in particular.
18. Eat oatmeal at least twice a week.
19. Move to a different country for a couple of years to shape your perspective of the world.
20. Listening to music, reading a book, and walking while listening to a podcast are all nearly free sources of joy - do them often!
21. Don’t underestimate the joy of reading in bed right after waking up.
22. Don’t underestimate the regenerative power of a nap.
23. Yeast flakes are a superfood: cruelty-free sources of complete protein and vitamin B12. Sprinkle it on salads, make a spread out of it (with some olive oil or soymilk), or put it in soups.
24. Always vote. Vote on the elections, vote with your purchases, vote with your everyday actions.
25. Some friendships are not meant to last for a lifetime, and that is OK.
26. If you learn to enjoy being alone, you’ve learned a superpower.
27. If you learn to ignore what other people think of you, you’ve gained another superpower.
28. Don’t ever give any present which can not be consumed (eaten or drank), unless you are absolutely sure the recipient wants it. Otherwise, you are gifting trash.
29. It’s not always possible to live according to your values. Try to strike a good balance.
30. You don’t necessarily have to realise all your potential. Try to push yourself regularly, but it’s OK to life a peaceful life.
31. Baking soda is a versatile chemical. You can use it to brush your teeth for extra cleanness (once a week), it can soften black beans if you put some in their boiling water (half a teaspoon is plenty), and you can use it to wash clothes and as a general cleaning agent too.
32. You have a vast source of knowledge at your fingertips in the form of the internet. Use it to verify your ideas and the claims of others.