I am a 29 year old wife and although I train myself not to dwell on regrets, there are just things that would have made my life easier if I learned them early on. The list composes of things I have not done, things I did that helps me immensely to this day, and things that I did but failed to really be good at. If you have other things you’d like to add, feel free to comment. It would be nice to learn more things together. 🙂

1. Be Good with Household Chores.

Maintaining a home- as taxing it may be because you think there are hundred more important things to do – should be accepted as an important part of life. Yes, the earlier you accept that fact, the better your relationship with the chores would be. Admittedly, I am not good with this area of my life. I grew up in a home where I’m encouraged to prioritize homework over dishes and my sister who loves to do such chores do it for me. I also regarded this as very easy and that I would just deal with it when I’m married. Well, I have learned that cleaning is simple-but no, it’s not easy especially when you don’t look forward to doing it. The other problem is I tend to look at things like a quiz I have to perfect and so it breaks my heart to put down a task because I already ran out of time.

So while you’re still single, better if you’re still with your mom, learn to do the chores and do it really well. My sister is very good with her chores and she can do it fast. Thinking about it, I realized it’s not because its in her genes to be great at it but because she has years of practice. She loves doing it and her big sister very willingly – even pleadingly- asked her to. Do it now so it does not have to be emotional when you’re confronted with the chores you have to do on your own. Instead, it would be just another day spent sweetly.

2. Learn how to Cook

This is one of the things I have learned even before I got married and so I can say that I am confident and grateful that I have this skill. Although it would have been nice if I learned more dishes from my mother, I am happy that I learned the basic so it’s easier for me to follow YouTube videos when cooking. If I did not learn this skill, I’d really have a hard time keeping me and my husband satisfied with our meals as we both have mothers who cook very well.

If you have a parent , relatives, or friends who cooks well, try to learn as much recipe as you can. Good recipes are passed on to generations and it’s great to be the one to receive them. Millions of recipes and videos are also available online and try to master even just a few so you always have go-to recipes and is confident when you have to cook for your spouse , in-laws, and your own family.

3. Learn how to Drive

I don’t know about other countries but in the Philippines, it’s not a rite of passage to get your driver’s license and learn how to drive. With the traffic in Manila, commuting is really the best way to go so it was not really necessary for me to learn and never intended to.

I have included this on the list though because with my husband as a car owner, I can see all the advantages of learning to drive. For one, if you want to someday build your own business and meet clients, you don’t have to rely on other people to drive you. Running errands will also be simple and you can go places you have to be -faster. Another plus, quick get away’s will also be easier and the drive-thru queue is shorter! 😉

4. Start your Healthy Habits

Yes, you’re still young and full of energy but please don’t forget the fact that we age, you’re the youngest you can be and our energy diminishes over time if we will not help ourselves. Six years ago, I can eat two helpings of rice with pork sisig and it would be all okay. Well, it was downwards from there as I gained unhealthy weight. Going back, I should have trained myself to keep a particular serving, slept better and learned to love working out. These things, I still have to work on until now when I need the energy more for additional responsibilities I took. It’s never too late but I thought I should let you know so you will welcome your future years more prepared with a healthy body full of energy.

5. Host a Dinner

If you’re like me, hosting is something I saw as mom’s responsibility -always. I just ate and socialized if I have to or if I’m comfortable with the crowd but I did not have to be the person who oversees things and keeps the guests happy. Going back, I should have stepped up and prepared it myself as I learned it’s such a fun job and would have really helped me build my network while learning to lead and prepare for a lovely get-together. All those money we spend having dinner with the same people at fancy restaurants can actually be turned into a fun night at the comfort of our own home while practicing hospitality , kindness and responsibility.

6. Volunteer

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”

Charles Dickens

Quoting Charles Dickens, “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” Giving and helping others is always part of the list of things that makes a person lead a happy and satisfied life. More often than not, when you’re still single, you have more time in your hands and there are thousands of ways one can help with the small resources they have. You can check if a particular organization is in need of volunteers perhaps in feeding children, tree-planting, what have you. This would also widen your circle as you meet volunteers like you who’d like to spread kindness and hope. I myself have participated in some volunteering work but I believe I should have done more. It is my hope to do this better, this time with my husband.

7. Learn a New Language

Learning a new language is a very valuable skill that I should have done during my years of too many TV and internet. Try to scan a job search engine and you would see the many doors that are open only to those who are skilled in a particular language. Since their competition is very limited and their talent rare, they are paid more. Why not cut the movie time and download a free language learning app instead? It’s better to worry about your Spanish grammar than watch your favorite TV series on repeat.

8. Read a Lot of Books

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”

George R. R. Martin

This quote is very true: “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”  I’m grateful to have parents who encouraged my love for reading books since I was a child and the only wish I have right now is to have more time to read more. Back in my single years, I spent many hours reading books and my preferences have also changed through time. Nevertheless, the books I’ve read back then have been great help while I navigate into adulthood and were my references in making decisions. Of course, like all other choices we make, we have to select the best books written and not just books to entertain us. These information we read from books are distilled from the author’s years of experiences and learning. Imagine having to take them in and applying what you learned, books are just treasures made more available to us now. Please don’t spend your time being single and not read books, it’s just a waste if that would happen.

9. Keep a Journal

As we mature, we learn a lot of things. Things we apply and need today and things that we forget even if they will help us someday. Sometimes our days can be confusing that we get lost in the chaos of our head with our ideas, worries, and plans all mixed up together. This is how we help ourselves – by keeping a journal. It does not have to be perfect because this is only a tool that would help us re-frame our thoughts into better use and keep us calm no matter the situations. It’s like your meditation / reflection companion and allows you to have better perspective on things. Sometimes, it can just be your one good listener, non-judgmental and allows you to listen to your own thoughts so you can make better decisions. No matter the age, keeping a journal is a wise way to go through life. I believe if you practice it earlier, it would help you make it a habit that you do no matter what days you’re having.

Tip: If it’s hard for you to write things down, start with recording yourself on your mobile. It would be kind of awkward at first but it’s worth a try! 🙂

10. Spend Quality Time with Your Family

I understand that we all have different situations but I believe that being single is be the best time to spend our days with our parents and siblings. When we get married, we will have to live with the family we have to build for ourselves and time spent with them will also be less. Since your time is limited, you will surely miss them a lot. While single, it’s best to savor the days we have with our loved ones and be grateful that you have each other. Family conflicts are normal but being a grown single person, you will thank yourself later if you have enjoyed and created more happy memories with them today.