32 Things I Learnt at 32

Sarah Tian
Oct 30
3 min read

For the past few years, I’ve made it a tradition to write down the things I’ve learned by the time my birthday arrives. It helps me slow down and notice how I’ve changed — even when life feels like it’s moving too fast to keep track.

So here I am again, continuing the ritual. These are the lessons that stayed with me this year.

To be truly happy, you need to embrace all parts of yourself, that is to give freedom to the parts of yourself that you've been suppressing for whatever reason.
Letting go of the need for approval from others is so freeing.
Nobody really cares about you as much as you think they do — they are all busy thinking about themselves!
Flattery and criticisms all go down the same drain. If you accept the flattery, you will also believe in the criticism, so the best is to not let either impact how you feel about yourself.
Everyday is truly a gift.
If you get your finances in order and take good care of your physical health, you have built a solid foundation for whatever that you are trying to build on top of that.
If you are lost about what you want next, look closely at who you admire right now — what about them you admire?
We tend to underestimate how much we will change.
Going on a solo trip is a great way to boost confidence.
Fear is just an emotion, it's not an excuse.
Fear is just a reaction, courage is a choice.
Sometimes it takes being forced to finally do the thing.
Friendship is precious because it’s elective love, not obligation.
Keep breathing room for joy; adult life will use all the space you give it.
If you truly want it, that is a good enough reason.
Improving your relationship is a key way to improve your overall happiness.
Clarity doesn’t come from overthinking but from doing.
A shift in mindset is all you need to get out of a stressful state.
One of the best ways to spend money is for eliminating stress from doing work you don't want to do.
Finding the workout routine that fits your interests is the key to staying with it.
One new reason I’ve learned for why some people choose to have kids is that they’ve run out of new experiences — and the next one left to explore is having a child of their own.
One thing AI can never take from us is the experience of being human — a reminder to fully live and embrace it all.
When you let go of your ego, you stop worrying about what others think and discover a kind of inner peace you’ve never known before.
Consistency is underrated — try dedicating yourself to your work for 8 hours a day, 365 days a year. I guarantee you’ll have accomplished something.
A sign that you’re becoming more grateful is when you start appreciating the little things in everyday life — and the joy they bring feels just as fulfilling as any big event.
There will always be another mountain or small hill to climb, but your muscles are stronger now from all the ones you’ve conquered before — so each climb will feel a little easier.
Being bored is a luxury — enjoy it. It means you’re not overwhelmed or dealing with something that’s gone wrong.
There’s no secret to a good relationship — it’s built through daily effort. You need to keep each other updated on what’s on your mind, have the courage to speak your truth, and be vulnerable enough to seek support from one another.
You need to optimize your own baseline happiness first — that way, when someone enters your life, you’ll know whether they’re truly adding to it or not.
Don’t believe your negative thoughts about the future — most of the bad things you imagine exist only in your mind and will never become reality.
Give yourself the permission to be all of yourself — the artist, the writer, the little girl/boy who just wants to play, the entrepreneur...
It takes time and effort to understand who you are and what you want in life — and those answers may change at different stages — so be patient with yourself and give yourself the space to figure it out.