THINGS TO LET GO OF IN YOUR 20’S

As I enter my late 20’s, I’ve been reflecting on the different seasons of my life. I’ve often thought about how quickly the years seemingly pass by, and what I’ve prioritized throughout those years. Our priorities shape our lives and how we live them, but how do we know what’s important, and what’s not?

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, your 20’s are all about figuring yourself out. Somewhere along the way, I lost sight of what my twenties we’re all about and started thinking I needed to have it all figured out. I felt an immense pressure to figure out the trajectory of my life rather than just letting myself live it through. I’ve spoken about what to leave behind in the last year, but there are also some things to consider letting go of in your twenties.

Here are a few things to let go of in your 20’s

A TIMELINE

It can be tempting to fall into the trap of believing that our lives should follow a specific timeline. When we see those we know passing milestones like marriage or buying a home, it can be easy to question our own life’s path. How come I’m not there yet? I’ve definitely had these thoughts myself, more often than I’d like to admit. The truth is that everyone’s life is on an entirely unique path. If we’re all meant to be unique, then why should our lives be any different?

HAVING YOUR DREAM CAREER

J.K Rowling was 31 when she landed her first book deal for Harry Potter. Vera Wang only entered the fashion industry when she was 40 years old. You do not, I repeat do not have to be in your dream career already, especially not in your 20’s. Some people are lucky and know what they want to do from a young age. Others figure it out through trial and error, and some are still figuring it out. There’s no deadline for when you should have found your dream career. I used to think I had found it, but it turns out I might not be so sure about what I truly would love to do just yet. And that’s okay.

BEING IN YOUR HEAD

It can be all too easy to feel stuck where you are. When we have dreams and visions of where we see ourselves in the future, it feels like we have a lot to lose. Fear is what ultimately keeps us on the other side of following through with our goals. Whether it’s the fear of making a fool of yourself, of failure, or of not being good enough- these fears keep us inside of our comfort zone. We get stuck in our head and think of everything that could go wrong, without considering what could possibly go right. Rather than sinking deeper into your thoughts and fears, accept that they are there, but don’t let them take the wheel.

FEELING SAD ABOUT BEING SINGLE

I’ve put this one in here because I have spent a lot more time than I’d like to admit being sad about being single. Although I’m not single currently, when I was, I had moments in my life where I absolutely hated it. I hated being alone and felt pangs of jealousy when I a happy couple would pass by me.

There were also times where I completely threw myself into what I loved, explored what made me happy and took advantage of my time alone. I can say that without a doubt, these are the moments that transformed my life and brought me to where I am today. If you’re single, look at the positives in your situations. It’s totally normal to feel sad at times, but don’t let your sadness turn into bitterness and swallow you up. Make the most of the time you have for yourself- spend time finding what you love and what brings you joy.

JUST DREAMING

Setting goals is easy. Dreaming about your future career is easy. Making those dreams into a reality is much, much harder. It requires risk and risk can be scary. You can spend years dreaming of what you’d love to do if you let yourself. I know because I’ve done it too. I’d spend my days dreaming of how I was going to one day work in my dream career, except I never really did anything consistently to make that happen. This is the best time in your life to take risks, to take chances, and to try anything. Do something, anything at all. Just don’t stay stagnant when there are so many opportunities right in front of you.

REGRETS

What you do with your time now will ultimately determine if you hold any regrets in the future. Your twenties are about taking risks and chances, which will undoubtedly lead to mistakes along the way. When people are older and they’re asked about their regrets, they talk about the things they wish they had done but didn’t. Your 20’s are the time to do those things. Don’t get stuck in regret when there is so much time to do right.

What are some things you think are worth letting go of in your 20’s? What are the most challenging things to leave behind? I’d love to hear about your experiences!