Things we need to normalize about being in your 20s
I know everyone in their 20s says," I don't have my sh*t," together, but I just want to speak for anyone reading this that no one and I mean NO ONE has a fricken clue what they're doing with their life.
However, when you scroll on Instagram and see your friend from college studying abroad in Europe or your former co-worker accepting her "dream job" on LinkedIn, you can't help but think…. maybe it's just me. We have done a great job of masking our insecurities and hiding the not-so-picture-perfect parts of our lives. We tend only to showcase the highlights of our lives, which I am guilty of. We want people to see the moments we are proud of, but when we do this, we often forget to remember that the path to get to these moments might not have been as glamorous.
I often feel like I was "behind" or doing "post-grad" life wrong because it was not what I had initially thought I would be doing or what many people my age are doing. I feel like so many things I wish someone would have told me are NORMAL.
So, that's what I'm going to do. I present to you ten things I wish were normalized about being in your 20s.
1.) Moving back in with your parents
I am STILL trying to get out of this mindset. For the longest time, I viewed moving back in with my parents after graduation as equivalent to failure. We have this toxic belief that as soon as we graduate, we will have a fantastic job and make tons of $$ BUT have you seen the price of rent nowadays? Yeah, so I am going to be camping out in my childhood bedroom for a Lil bit longer so I can afford an apartment where the kitchen isn't two feet away from my bedroom. 😊
2.) Not wanting to drink
I have recently concluded that drinking makes me feel like shiiiit. And I don't like doing things that make me feel gross. So, I won't drink. Don't pretend to like something just because you think it's the norm. Life's too short.
3.) Staying in on the weekends
Sometimes your social battery just can't handle a weekend bender. Trust me, what's even worse than FOMO is going out and regretting the fact that you went out.
4.) Not loving your first job
Some people don't find their true passion until their 60s. You have so much time. Look at the job as an opportunity to grow and network, then move on to the next.
5.) Having a small friend group
This is a GOOD thing. The smaller my friend group got, the bigger my connections with my friends were.
6.) Feeling purposeless
For the past 18 years, I have been in school. Once I graduated and didn't have school, work, and internships to keep me busy, I felt like I had lost my purpose. I felt like a fraud. For the longest time, I relied on my academics to make me feel successful, so when that was gone, I didn't know what to do with my free time.
7.) Unpacking childhood trauma
You will accidentally unleash old emotions and built-up trauma from your younger years. Let yourself feel all the feelings and do the inner work to understand where they are coming from. I promise that it will come back to haunt you if you don't.
8.) Feeling lonely
This period of our lives is so weird. Half of your friends are getting married, and half are still partying every weekend. It can feel like you don't connect with anyone. This is normal; use this time to get to know yourself better.
9.) Having anxiety about the future
The future is scary. I won't lie to you. But all I can say is that the more you focus on being present, the less power the future holds over you.
10.) Feeling indecisive
You're going to change your mind 100 times. Embrace the chaos.