Holy moly. I can’t believe I’m 29 today! It’s not that I don’t know where the years went, but it’s just amazing to be in the last year of my 20’s. I’m happy, sad, and excited all at the same time!
My 20’s have definitely been a treasured time for me. I’ve grown as a person, traveled to some amazing places, lost a lot of weight, met the love of my life, and have worked to define myself as a woman and member of society.
While I don’t have all that many years under my belt, my experiences have taught me a few things…
-As scary as it can be, attend your dream college! At the same time though, don’t spend an arm and a leg on your undergraduate degree. Do whatever you can to leave college debt free.
-Take leaps of faith when you job search! Don’t close doors until they are closed for you. If you want to live abroad, make it happen.
-Start saving money as soon as you can. While you’re young (and single) live under your means! You don’t REALLY need cable or a washer and dryer in your apartment.
-As a 20-something, meet with a counselor. Digest your past so that you can better define your future.
-Let go of your game plan. Life can be better than you’ve ever imagined.
-Friends come and go. As hard as it is to lose a friendship, trust that they were in your life when they were suppose to be and move on. Trying to figure out lost friendships is a waste of time!
-Be a servant, love others, perform random acts of kindness, and take a minute to listen to another person’s story.
-Don’t piss off your in-laws! If you want a second family, love them unconditionally and hope that they’ll bring you in as their daughter, sister, and friend. If they don’t accept you, move on. Your partner and the family you two create are what matter most.
-WORKOUT! Take care of your body and stop limiting yourself!! Your body is an amazing thing. It can do more than you think it can. Woman CAN play full contact football.
-The first bite tastes the same as the 15th. Don’t allow food to control you. If it does, invest in yourself and find someone to help you learn healthy eating habits. Do this BEFORE you start a family. You’ll want healthy eating habits before you impact someone else’s eating.
-Join Match.com… The love of your life may be on there. Mine was. And don’t be stupid… tell people what you’re doing, where you’ll be, and who you’re on a date with.
-Spoil yourself! Paint your nails, do your hair and makeup, wear that new scarf, and be confident! Always make time for you. If you dress frumpy every day, you’ll feel frumpy… trust me.
I still have a lot to learn, but I’m incredibly grateful for all that my 20’s have taught me so far. With my final year as a 20-something, I hope to make better use of my time. I want to…
-Read more! News, journal articles, books, you name it. I want to be more knowledgeable.
-Be adventuous in the kitchen! I want to bake more bread, roast more vegetables, and bust through the piles of recipes I’ve ripped out of magazines.
-Get crafty! I have so many projects I’ve been wanting to work on and I want to make it happen.
-Three words… Body Before Baby! It’s no secret that I hope to be a Mom some day, and I want to continue to work on my health and fitness before having children.
My 29th year was a great one and I really look forward to all that year 30 holds!
