Remembering every thought clearly today, thinking of how restless I was when I started, today as I look back I feel enriched. Life has taught me a lot of lessons and in these 15 years of the entrepreneurial journey, there are a lot of learnings and a lot more yet to learn.

To the 20-year-old Aakanksha, I would like to share and tell a lot of such lessons that life has taught me so far. Here is what I would like to tell my 20-year-old!

1. Plan your mornings wisely.

Mornings are the most important part of the day. A good beginning can make the whole day blessed, hence, the best way is to plan them nicely. If you’re stuck in the mornings or feel agitated, there are chances for you to feel drained out the whole day. Hence, make sure you stay uplifted in the mornings.

2. Set your goals, and put your dreams out there.

One of the most important tasks in life is to have your goals clear before you. You must make sure that you work for your dreams with complete dedication and hard work. However, know that it need not always go as per what you wanted. And, that is completely alright. There is always room for more opportunities and hope.

3. Do not forget to celebrate.

It’s important to celebrate every achievement that you think and feels you have earned. Celebrating not only helps you to remember how successfully you achieved but also makes you feel motivated in doing better the next time.

4. Learn from others.

Know that someone is ahead of you and someone is behind you in the race of life. But more importantly, you must know that you can learn from both of them. So, grab every opportunity to learn lessons from others’ actions too.

5. It’s important to learn to move on.

Things happen, people, move on, and circumstances change. Amidst all the ups and downs in life, it’s important to learn how to move on. Close that chapter that holds you back & look forward rather than being stuck there.

6. Keep your knowledge bank always updated.

Go for all the new learnings possible and keep your knowledge always going on. It’s important to be aware of what you’re doing. Hence, you must always focus on staying updated.

7. Smile more, Laugh harder!

I think with time we always forget that when we smile, things always fall in place. It is essential to stay happy, and positive and send good vibes to your surroundings as well. It not only strengthens your aura but also makes your problems fall weak.

8. Keep your passion alive!

If you love dancing, singing, acting, or anything in the world that makes you feel good when you pursue it, then do not stop. Take out time for your hobbies, because these are the activities that will act as a stress buster in life.

9. Know your team well!

Know your team well because you are going to spend so much time with your team that it’s important to connect your minds & hearts with them. It helps you build together, grow together and achieve together.

10. Change is Inevitable & you must know that.

It’s important to know that people change, times change, and circumstances change. And, we have to keep changing and adapting with time as well. We cannot just stick back and hope for better times to come. At every point of life, we must be aware that a transformation can happen at any time and should keep ourselves prepared for that mentally too.

11. Keep your friends close to your heart.

Always make sure that, no matter how busy you are, you make time for your people. One day in a week should be dedicated only to your people, friends, and your near & dear ones.

12. Every failure is an opportunity.

Even if it’s the most massive failure and you think you do not know what is going to happen after it, know that you have the power to rebuild things again. You’ve done it once, therefore, you can do it again. Nobody can take your hard work away from you.

13. End your day peacefully.

Do not check your work emails at night. Do not do that as the last thing of your day. Watch something which is funny and sleep well. You must be relaxed and calm even when you’re asleep. It is vital to ensure good mental health.

14. Everything is going to be alright.

It’s important to know that it will all be okay. No matter what goes wrong, you have lots of chances to make it right again. You will have the next day as another new opportunity. Get to the next morning with hope and you will get back to work to find a new way of doing things.

15. Nothing happens in vain!

Everything happens for a reason. It doesn’t matter what happened wrong or what went hurting. With time, you’ll realize that it all happened for the best. And, its fruits will help you become a better person who looks back and sees the struggle he/she has overcome.

There have been a lot of experiences, teachings, and lessons I’ve imbibed so far. But, whatever it be, the gist of everything has always been that “No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, show up, and NEVER GIVE UP!!" Always stay onwards and upwards and get up every time you stumble.