Being “20-Something” Does Not Correlate to Running Out of Time
From an early age, I always imagined living my 20s like the 2010s: carefree,
optimistic, and joyriding this thing called life. Every birthday, since the age of 10, I
imagined living that life of freedom, that is until the countdown in my psyche came
knocking on my 20 th birthday. The consistent reminder from society and social
media of how I should have this, that, and the third achieved by 20, 21, 22...29
really started to make me question my own achievements and goals.
As humans, there is this pressure of needing to have everything figured out within
a specific time frame, such as graduating at 22 or having the perfect life and career
before 30, but I am here to tell you that this nagging pressure is solely a trap to
keep you in a state of feeling like you are running out of time. (Hence the title.)
Once you recognize the trap, you eventually begin a peaceful journey to a life of
success and happiness without the countdown of doom.
Now I know you all are probably thinking “easier said than done,” but trust me
once you have this realization and begin shifting your perspective from “I need this
by...” to “one day at a time” that anxiety that you feel when thinking about your
age and where you are in life just may disappear.
As someone who struggled with the fear of running out of time, I learned a few tips
and tricks throughout the past three years of my 20s that helped me to overcome
the anxiety and frustration of it all. Hopefully, these small but impactful changes
can be beneficial to you too!
Understanding That Everyone Has Their Own Journey in Life.
Life is not a race or challenge of who can get to the finish line first. It is about
enjoying the journey as a whole and being proud of the small milestones just as
much as the major ones! Once you take a step back and look at the bigger picture,
you will realize that the only competition in life is becoming better than who you
were yesterday, a month ago, even years ago.
Stop Comparing Your Life to Others.
The saying goes “comparison is the thief of joy,” which is true! When you are
consistently comparing your life to the next individual, you are diminishing your
self-worth and enabling a scarcity mindset. Something to always remember when it
comes to comparison is that there is more than enough success in the world to go
around.
Taking Everything One Day at a Time.
We all know how stressful our 20s can be by now, so why beat yourself up about
what you have yet to achieve? Instead of fueling yourself with internalized or
societal pressure, start showing daily gratitude for the small things even if that
solely looks like waking up in the morning and following through with your
routine or buying yourself a cup of coffee.
A Small Tidbit for the Road.
There is no such thing as running out of time. This journey of life should always be
at your own pace and what YOU feel like you are ready to take on. No one else’s
thoughts and opinions matter when it comes to your journey!