Three Things I Wish I Had Known in My 20’s: Sunchea Phou

Sunchea Phou is an entrepreneur and philanthropist.

She founded YaY Novelty with a mission to create a lifestyle-enhancing product that allows consumers to express their personality. YaYwallet was her first creation, born out of her frustration of not being able to find a fun slim wallet. It was also in part to generate income for her foundation Year Zero. Year Zero Foundation supports children in her homeland of Cambodia. She has recently launched a campaign on Kickstarter for YaYtag, a new concept of ID tags for luggage, backpacks, pet cages and team bags.

Here are her “3 Things”:

Let Go and How to Say NO:

One of the three things that I wish I had known in my 20’s is to let go and how to say no. By this I mean do not let yourself become attached to material things and relationship. I remember in my 20’s I had accumulated so much stuff creating clutter and chaos in my life. I was also in an up and down relationship that also clutter my life. If I would have known how to let go and say no, my life would have been fulfilling and more accomplished. The power of letting go and saying no is challenging and difficult to master but it doesn’t mean you should stop trying. Now that I am older and a little bit wiser, and after a long journey I have let go of the stuff of my 20’s and can say yes to my happiness by simply say no.

It’s ok to be afraid but still do it anyway:

The second thing that I wish I had known in my 20’s has to do with fear. There is simply no way around fear. We have to accept the fact that fear is a part of life and so befriend it as best as you can and know that it’s ok to be afraid but still do it anyway.

Live Below Your Means:

Last thing that I wish I had known in my 20’s has to do with money. When I was in my 20’s, living below my means was not in my vocabulary. I made more than enough money and spent it like there is no end. I created a life style that chained me to a job I truly hated. Stress became my best friend because I couldn’t let go and I didn’t know how to say no. Today, I have simplified my life and currently living below my means and happier than I’ve ever been.