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What Actually Matters in Your 20s
Maybe, you’re living it all wrong
I turned 23 recently and it changed my perspective of life. It usually happens often when you reach a certain age. I wanted to become a teacher when I was 6, a doctor when I was 10, a physics professor when I was 14 and an entrepreneur when I turned 18.
People often start their sentences with “Get good grades and your life will be sorted”. So I did as they said and excelled in my classes.
Then they changed to “Get into a good college and your life will be sorted”. So I did. I entered one of the most prestigious universities in my country but guess what, the confusion and dilemmas did not go away.
From the beginning of life, you are told what to do and how to be happy in your life.
Get good grades -> Stay out of trouble -> Get in a good University -> Get a job which pays good -> Start a family
Is this all that life is about?
Maybe I am not the smartest person to tell you what matters in your 20s because I have not lived them all yet — I’m still midway. But maybe I am the person who can tell you the truth without sugarcoating it. The blunt truth about how I will live the rest of my 20s
Embrace the Journey, Not the Destination
I know this is a weird age to be in. Some of your friends are already earning twice as you are right now. Some as getting married and having kids. Some are living their dream of travelling around the world.
In your eyes, everyone around you is doing better in life than you currently are — be it financially, spiritually or emotionally. This just keeps making you doubt yourself.
You’ve had different problems in your life and you’ve had to face them alone. Your twenties are not about proving anyone wrong, they’re about finding the things that make you happy. Embrace the twists and turns, the highs and lows, and the unexpected detours that shape your path.
So, instead of fixating on where you think you should be by a certain age, focus on the journey of self-discovery and personal growth.
