5 Things I’m Learning in my Twenties

Being in your twenties is weird. Some days, it can be good in all its glorified ways of letting you know how much potential you have. And other days, it just feels downright misleading, false, and pretentious. Sound familiar? Here are 5 things I’m learning in my twenties:

1. You’re going to be careful about who you give your heart to, but it’s not necessarily going to guarantee less heartbreaks.

“He didn’t deserve to get to know me like that,” are words I hope to never say ever again, but the reality is that we’ll never be immune to heartbreaks. They come suddenly and abruptly, and it’s not any better or easier to be the ones to break things off, either. The truth is clear. Yes, not everyone deserves to get to know you, but we have to know what we deserve if we want to love in a way that grows and sustains. Setting boundaries doesn’t always translate to bad or cowardly if it means making better judgment for your heart.

2. You never know how long people are going to stay in your life.

You think for a second that some people are meant to stay in your life forever. But, forever is a long time. And while it’s important to listen to your gut feelings, they aren’t always enough alone. You just never know whether someone was meant to be a lesson or someone you were meant to only meet in passing.

Things are constantly fleeting. And while that’s a hard concept to wrap yourself around, because the people and things you’ve associated yourself with have felt holographic for the most part, the reality is that not everyone you meet is meant to stay. Because departures create room for better things to fall in place, too. You just have to take things as they come.

3. Everyone around you seems to have it all figured out, but they actually don’t.

Social media is a great way to deceive others. We put up these fronts like we’re only traveling on smooth roads and everything around us is beautiful and nothing hurts. And it’s bull! Just straight up complete and utter nonsense.

And you might think for a second that you’re the hero just because you’re the struggling protagonist of your own story, but the truth is that in every one of us, we’re all capable of being Decepticons. I know you think that you’re Optimus Prime, but that’s the thing about being a Transformer. You’re always becoming something else. And sometimes what you are in that moment isn’t always true. The people around you experience that, too.

4. You can’t slow down for anyone.

The people who can catch up will do so, but you should never put your life on hold just because you’re afraid of letting others down. That’s not being fair on your end of things. You have to welcome change with open arms. And while change doesn’t always necessarily translate to better things, growth certainly can’t happen without it either.

Goodbyes are hard when your friend moves away to continue pursuing her dreams or when you’re doing the leaving yourself, but then life happens. I catch myself smiling because we’re all being incredibly brave just doing what we can to fulfill the parts of us that need to grow. Endurance is something I never get tired of seeing.

5. You’ll wonder if what you’re doing is ever enough.

Sometimes, I ask myself what I’m doing, especially when stability still seems so far away. And it causes me to under-estimate my own potential and abilities. It sets me back and so lives this perpetual cycle of self-doubt and criticism. And I’m telling you that it’s perfectly okay. I mean, I know it doesn’t feel that way, but it’s normal. And you’re doing fine, damn it. Don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise. Just because you’re on a path that others might never take, doesn’t make it wrong or any less valid. You’ve got this. Now, run with it.

What are you learning about in your twenties? Leave a comment down below!