Who You Should Be in Your 20's

I came across the same thought online a few days ago- that being in your twenties is one of the most disorienting and (if you let it be) overwhelming times of life. And I get it. When you're in your twenties, trying to create a resume while googling the difference between business and business casual can feel pretty overwhelming. There is so much pressure in this time of life about who we should be and what we should be doing. It's like being thrust into adulthood when most of us aren't quite sure what adulthood really is. And we have even less of an idea of how to get there.

When you're in your twenties, people expect you to be living a successful but also fun life. It's a mix of competing expectations, that go a little something like this:

• Have a great social life, including partying and going out with friends every weekend

• Date around. The more "experience" with dating you get, the better

• Get a great job right out of college, with a salary high enough to pay your own rent, bills, student loans, and even a car payment

• Workout regularly. All 20-somethings go running in the mornings

• Manage all 5+ of your social media accounts excellently, so you'll get thousands of followers

• Eat healthy. But you're young, so also indulge in unhealthy foods without feeling guilty like older people do

• Have an amazing wardrobe because everyone knows people in their 20's are supposed to be the most fashionable

• Keep up with all the current trends in fashion, technology, and pretty much everything

That's a long enough list to get your head spinning. But it's the reality of what most 20-somethings feel they're supposed to live up to, and if we're not aware of that, we'll buy into all these pressures without even questioning them.

But I don't want to live the perfect "20-something" life. I want to create my own definition of this decade (or the seven years I have left of it, anyway). I want my twenties to be a time in my life that i define, that I create my own expectations for. And more than anything, that I let God lead me through. That means that maybe I won't have the perfect social life all the time. Maybe I'll go for months without a single date because I'm unwilling to compromise. Maybe I won't spend hours a day scrolling through social media feeds.

I'd rather these three things define my 20s:

Adventure.

To take risks and do things I've never done before. To travel and go to different events and meet new people and put myself out of my comfort zone. Not for the sake of looking cool or impressing people, but for the sake of growing and learning to trust God in the unknown.

Purpose.

To stay true to my calling, whatever that may be at the time. For my actions to be purposeful, to seek meaning in what I do, what I think, and what I say. I don't want to waste time on frivolous things that won't add value to my life, but instead choose things that build my character and God's kingdom.

Faithfulness.

To stick with things even when others leave them behind. To be faithful in a world that values personal gain over loyalty.

That's what I want my 20s to look like, so those are the expectations i will follow, not the ones every one else tells me to. So what about you? No matter what decade or season of life you're in, you define it. Choose what you want out of this time in your life, and run after it. Don't let other people make that decision for you.

#life #2016