This is a little pick-me-up for all of my fellow worrywarts out there who can't help but freak out because your lives aren't where you want them to be. Trust me, I've been there, and I still struggle with uncertainty all the time. But I think we as young people need to be reminded of a simple fact: you're still in your twenties.
The average life span of an American is almost 80 years old. While I don't encourage taking your life for granted, that's a lot of time to be present on this Earth. It's a lot of time to make mistakes, face failures, experience setbacks and for lack of a better phrase, fall flat on your butt.
I know that it's scary to feel like you're struggling your way through life. Maybe you can't decide on a major, maybe you aren't happy with your job, maybe your relationship (or lack thereof) is bringing you down, or maybe you're just unsatisfied in general. However, there's a bright side: you have time. Changes aren't going to make themselves, but if you really have the motivation to make a major turn around, then there shouldn't be anything stopping you.
There are always going to be those people in your life that seem to have it all together. They knew what they wanted to study since high school, they've already landed an internship or two, they do countless hours of service, they studied abroad, etc. I don't know what their secret is, nor do I plan to ever find out. While I give these God-like humans all the credit in the world, I don't necessarily strive to be like them.
Your twenties isn't a time to settle down. It's not a time to fall into a pattern. Is it important to work hard in your classes? Yes. Is it important to strive toward career goals? Yes. Is it important to prepare for the future? Absolutely. But that doesn't mean you need to have every single aspect of your life figured out right now. And it certainly doesn't mean that you can't change your direction if you feel the need to.
I know that you're legally an adult by the time you hit your twenties, but how many 20-somethings would actually deem themselves fully functioning adults? Probably not many. We still have so much to learn, and there's nothing wrong with that. Being young is challenging and confusing, but it's also one of the most exciting times of our lives.
Don't let your anxieties get the best of you even if you feel like you're drowning. There's nothing quite like the feeling of having your whole life ahead of you, and don't lose that feeling just because you're not sure what you want to do with your future. Chill out. Live your twenties to the fullest.
