Your 20s can sometimes feel like a group project where everyone else received the instructions except you.
Someone is getting married, someone else has launched a business, another person has moved into a new apartment, landed a dream job or started posting LinkedIn updates that somehow make them look like they have life completely figured out.
Meanwhile, you are trying to decide whether you are actually passionate about your career or simply enjoy receiving a salary.
Take a breath.
Your 20s are not necessarily about having everything figured out. They are a period of exploration, experimentation and building the foundation for the person you eventually become.
Try Things
Don’t own that ideology that your best days are behind you. You should always see life as ever developing. Continue reinventing what you see life as with every given stage in life.
Your first career choice does not have to be your final one.
Your first business may fail. A skill you thought you would love may turn out to be painfully boring. A job you were excited about may teach you exactly what you do not want.
These experiences are not automatically wasted time.
Trying different things helps you understand yourself. Take on projects, learn new skills, attend events, meet people outside your usual circle. Explore interests that may eventually become useful professionally or personally.
You are allowed to change your mind.
Build Yourself
Leaving university does not mean learning has ended.
The world of work will quickly show you that your certificate is only one part of what you bring to the table. Communication, problem-solving, digital skills, emotional intelligence, creativity and the ability to work with people all matter.
This is also a good period to develop habits that your future self will appreciate. Learn to manage your time, take your health seriously, build meaningful relationships. Become comfortable asking questions and admitting when you do not know something.
Stop Racing Everyone Else
Social media can make other people’s lives look like a perfectly organised timeline. Remember that you are seeing the announcement, not the uncertainty that came before it.
People have different starting points, responsibilities, opportunities and definitions of success. Your friend’s timeline is not a deadline for your life. Your 20s are for building a foundation, not proving that you have finished the building.
Some days will feel productive and others may feel confusing. There may even be periods when it seems like nothing is happening.
Keep learning. Keep trying. Keep moving.
You do not need to have the whole map figured out. Knowing your next step is enough.
