Hello Dawgs,
Let’s talk about our twenties. Can someone tell me what to do?
I’m sure we’ve all been there, trying to figure out what we’re passionate about, comparing ourselves to others and feeling behind in life.
I came into college thinking I knew what I wanted to major in.
I told myself I’d become a political science major and go to law school. But after taking my first politics class I decided that as the kids say, “This ain’t it.” Alright, I’ll take it back.
We’re told to go to college, get a career, start a family. But growth in our twenties is not going to be linear nor should it be, because life is unconventional.
There is no “how to get through this” list, but there are some things I’ve learned by observing others.
Stop asking for people’s opinions.
This one sounds harsh, and there are times when you need to ask for advice from the right people, like your professors and your peers.
But there are some things only you can decide for your life, what you’ll wear, who you’ll talk to, what your values are, and where you’ll go. In making those decisions by yourself, you build more confidence. Take advantage of that and go make decisions by yourself without consulting everyone. After all, this is your life.
Take care of your mental health.
Last year I decided to intentionally prioritize my mental health over everything. I was not happy with my life and it was hard to tell others. You can do all you want in life but if your mind is not right, you won’t be present enough to enjoy it. It is okay to prioritize your mental health, go to therapy, get medication, talk to your friends, journal, workout. Do everything that brings you genuine joy and do it a lot, because you deserve to live in this world as a happy person. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it to keep trying every day.
Be humble.
You’d be surprised how much easier life is when you do things for others without expectations. Humility does not mean you let people “walk all over you.” It means knowing every human is equally valuable. This does not mean we have to undermine ourselves, it means recognizing that you’re no better or worse than other people. In our twenties, this means recognizing how much we still have to learn and how normal it is to be lost. I myself have been metaphorically, and unfortunately, literally lost. But we don’t get to laugh about that.
Laughter is the best medicine.
I lied, we have to laugh about that. It’s free to make someone laugh, so I know we can afford it.