The new life rules to follow now: these truisms of today allow you the power and flexibility to get what you want, how you want.(You You You)

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Here's the problem with conventional wisdom: You're not conventional, and neither are the situations you're facing these days. So Cosmo collected a set of modern guidelines perfect for a brazen 21st-century babe like yourself.

1 You No Longer Need a Five-Year Plan

It used to be that people were encouraged to set a strict time line for achieving milestones: dream job by 25, married by 27, first kid by 30. Thankfully, you no longer have to map out contentment in advance. "Committing because you're supposed to--whether it's saying I do or sticking it out at a soulless job--prevents you from seeking situations that make you happy," says life roach Valorie Burton.

Plus, you don't want to be so locked into a game plan that you can't grab a fabulous opportunity that comes out of the blue. Another factor: Since it's now acceptable to delay marriage, have kids later, and job-hop, it's to your benefit to adopt a fluid approach to planning your future. Your strategy then? "Reevaluate your path every six mouths, then tweak your goals if necessary," says career strategist Cynthia Shapiro, author of What Does Somebody Have to Do to Get a Job Around Here?

2 It's Possible to a Hookup Into a Real Relationship

Believe it or not, your 2 a.m. booty call could become your boyfriend. People are so busy with their careers, they don't have the time or patience to court for months before finding out if they click physically, so they test the waters, says Kathleen A. Bogle, PhD, author of Hooking Up: Sex, Dating, and Relationships on Campus.