I sat looking out on a window full of raindrops and a sky clouded with grey. WIth coffee in one hand, my calendar in another, and a pen wrapped in my messy bun, it dawned on me how close I am to graduating from college — less than a year away.
I felt a pit in my stomach as questions arose such as:
“Wait, I just graduated from high school?”
“Where am I going to live?”
“What job am I going to have?”
“Do I want to travel first before I settle down?”
“What does it even mean to settle down?”
“But wait, do I even know how I am going to decorate my first apartment?”
“Yikes, am I even going to use this degree that I am paying an arm and a leg for?”
It is pretty healthy to say I had a mini panic attack that consisted of ½ excitement and ½ fear. I bet I looked beyond terrified sitting on campus. But then it hit me – being at this stage of life full of the unknown and a plethora of unanswered questions is the freest I will ever be. I can be anyone I want to be, go anywhere I want, and do anything I want to do. That is an empowering thought.
So, yes, you are dreadfully lost in your 20s, but that is OK. In fact, it is wonderful. Go out and be bold, brave, and take chances.
Every choice you make will greatly impact your future and this can be viewed as a daunting thought or an empowering one.
When we are in our 20s there are all these pressures being imposed on our shoulders like what job we will get, where we live, and who we will end up with. Why are we so focused on what is to come next? Enjoy this present moment of youth because you’ll never be this young or free again. Obviously, this decade is one of growth and self-identification, but it is 100 percent OK if you're completely lost along the way. We can still be at peace and lost at the same time. Embrace this exploration period in your life.
Try new things, meet people, travel, have fun, and learn about your true character. You are in no rush to make all these life decisions on the tip of a hat, so just enjoy the ride. I am sure when we are all 40 and look back on this decade of life, we will smile at the beautiful chaos and where it led us.
Let the mind-exploding lostness guide you to somewhere beautiful. It is your choice how you tackle these feelings of uncertainty. Forging a path for yourself has to be deeply rooted in what is true to you and your goals and passions for life, not what others think or want for you.
Not knowing which road to choose only amplifies the reality that you have options in front of you.
Change is going to be an ever-present force in your 20s. Move to a city where you do not know a soul, change jobs, try out a few new ones, buy a dog, or maybe a cat. Do the things you love often, push yourself out of your comfort zone, and make strangers friends. Embrace this feeling rather than running from it.
Cheers to the daunting, yet incredible, wonderful, and freest decade of our lives!
