If you would have asked me when I was younger where I thought I was going to be when I was twenty-four, I would have politely answered you with something along the lines of, “How could I possibly know that? I haven’t even learned multiplication yet.” I have always hated the idea of planning out my life. There’s no point. I don’t know where I’m going to be tomorrow, let alone at fill-in-the-blank age.

I just turned twenty-four this month, and my life looks nothing like I would have imagined it. I greeted the age with hesitation and excitement, but I mostly felt like I was grasping onto the invisible rope of my “youth”. Whatever that was supposed to mean.

Reflecting back on my twenty-third year of life, I realize I learned a few things in those 365 days.

1) I, along with the people around me, are more than what is on our resumes.

That can be a tough pill to swallow in a field that is dominated by what you do and who you know. However, at the end of the day, my career aspirations are not the things that are going to give me value at the end of my days.

2) Being stuck in a profession that drains you, is not worth the money on a paycheck

This year, I made a move from a part-time caregiver, making over minimum wage, to an intern with a minimum wage salary. Though the caregiving job gave me enough money to fund my wants, my internship fills me with joy. One of the highlights of my day is walking into a non-profit law firm, with a copy machine that only works half the time. This is the environment in which my soul thrives.

3) Mental health is too important to push to the back burner.

This year, I fought the hardest battles of anxiety that I have ever had. After eventually seeing a doctor and talking to her about being in kindergarten and ultimately puking because I was “nervous” for my first day in the public school system, and the other episodes of anxiety that have plagued my life since, I was diagnosed with Anxiety Disorder and have been able to make strides to better handle those episodes and understand my body. Taking care of your emotions is not weakness, it strengthens you.

4) Not all relationships are going to last a lifetime.

This has been a season of change for me. New people have come to the forefront of my life and been a large part of my growth, while other relationships have flickered out. Both of these things are okay and natural. People change over time, and we’re supposed to. We’re meant for change. How sad life would be if we were all just stagnant! With change, comes a shift in priorities and passions, likes and dislikes. This can cause people to grow apart. That can be healthy. The important thing is that both parties are growing. Like any good novel, life introduces characters and also shows characters making their exit.

5) I was not born to fit into a box.

My life does not have to be defined by other people’s expectations of what I should do, or who I should become. Nothing in my life has ever lined up the exact way that I thought it was going to. I thank God for that. My plans are never as sweet as His are. That takes time to see, but when you do, it’s one of the best revelations. My life is perfectly mix matched, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

While moving into my twenty-fourth year, I pray to learn more. I want to never cease my hunger for information. I want to continue to be passionate about social justice issues, and always strive to understand people, especially when we don’t agree. Most importantly, I want to remember that my identity is not found on a piece of paper that tells you what I can do, but in who God says I am.