To all my 20 somethings: Don’t grow up it’s a trap!
I’ve decided that my life is organized chaos. Some days I’m happy simply because I’ve paid rent and I have food in the fridge. I’ve accepted that bills aren’t going away, the To-Do lists never end, dinner won’t make itself and cooking for one is a form of torture. Balancing time between myself, relationships, school, work, and responsibilities is exhausting. My dog has an infinite ability to drive me so crazy it makes me question everything about children and what it takes to be a functioning adult. I’ve learned that $100 is nothing, and while I can do my own taxes.. saving money is not my strong suit; because obviously I needed those boots and that sequin mini skirt. There are plenty of days when I make all the right decisions and others days when I question my foolish actions, wondering if I’ve actually grown up or learned anything. While, my priorities are lopsided I realize that I’ll figure it out eventually… I just need some time.
All things considered, seriously don’t grow up too fast because being a 20 something allows for so much wiggle room. There are some days when I feel like the wild child from my teenage years, other days when I act too old for my own good, and then I take a breath and I realize it’s all about balance. There are some days where I’d rather drink margaritas until the sun goes down and dance into the night. The beauty is I can do that because life isn’t too demanding right now. I can sleep until 11:00 if I want to, I have time to run off to the mountains, wander around bookstores, and stay up until 4:00 AM. I get to sit and slowly sip my coffee in the mornings without feeling rushed and I can binge watch Archer because I’d rather ignore the day. I can mull over what I want to wear and end up leaving the house in workout clothes simply because I can. On the other hand, meetings excite me, dressing up and talking about my goals is enthralling, waking up early, making plans, finding internships, and being busy feels good. It means I am moving forward. So, while I will always love my downtime I am excited to commit myself in new ways. I appreciate these prospects because of the free time I have for myself now.
I look at my sister (Kristine) and roommate (Tonia) both succeeding in their careers, using their degrees and hustling to the point of exhaustion. I am so proud of them and a part of me is so eager to get there; yet, another part of me is happy to hang out in my underwear avoiding the world until I decide it’s time to be productive. Tonia told me don’t freak out too much unless you are 30 and you don’t have a career yet, I realize how right she is. This is my time to be selfish, to explore, to learn, to fail, to play, and to grow. So stop thinking too hard about everything, it will all be okay. Trust the process, become your own best friend, follow your dreams, and kick ass.
LauraBrown-out-loud 