Does anyone else feel like they must have their whole life together in their 20's? Finding your perfect career, landing your dream job, finding your soulmate, getting married, and having kids all before you are 30?
I have had my 20's fully planned out since I was in my senior year of high school. I knew that I was going to get my Bachelor of Science in Nursing, then work for a few years, and then go back to school for my Master's to become a Nurse Practitioner. I hoped to have a husband by 25, to have travelled all of Europe, and to have bought my first house.
With now actually turning 25 next month, I will be honest in saying that I have not accomplished many of the things I thought I would have already. I definitely do not have it all figured out like I had hoped I would have. I am working in what I thought was my dream job when I graduated, but I know I don't feel like this is what I am supposed to do for the rest of my life. With that said, I have yet to figure out what career path I should even be taking from here. This uncertainty causes me so much anxiety as I realize that I may be changing my whole career path, and the path I have planned out for myself since I was in high school.
The problem with this is that I have the idea in my mind that my 20's are the time in my life where I should be setting myself up for success for the rest of my life. When in reality, I have my whole entire life ahead of me to continue setting myself up. Did you know that Vera Wang only started designing when she was 40? Now she is one of the most successful fashion designers in the world. I don't know about you, but this gives me a lot of hope for what I can accomplish past my 20's.
I have heard recently, from some very intelligent women, that our 20's shouldn't be about having it all figured out, but about experimenting. Taking the time to figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life. Switching your career path if you aren't liking it and experimenting with new options. Taking time to be single and figure out who you are when you are alone - what opinions and values you hold, what you like to do for fun, and overall, who you want to be.
So why is there such a rush to have everything figured out in our 20's? Why can't we live a little more freely knowing that life doesn't end when we turn 30? Because really, we have our whole entire lives to figure out what we are doing. We have our whole lives to get married, and buy that house, and have kids. So why don't we just live our lives, discover new things about ourselves, take time to experiment and give ourselves the grace to do so.
The reality is, God has a whole plan for your life. You are going to get to where you are supposed to eventually. So why not relax, stop stressing about what you have or haven't accomplished by a certain age, and just enjoy life as it comes.
To living freely in our 20's, I hope you will join me.
Love always,
~ Sarah
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