18/05/18 Things I’ve Learned in My Twenties

 

For me, my twenties have been a massive learning curve and period of growth…

The pressure to have it all together by the age of 30 is very real.

How’s work going?  Have you bought a house yet? When are you getting married? Isn’t it about time you had a baby? People laugh when I say this, “You’re only young, you’ve got loads of time.” But they don’t stop asking the questions. During my twenties I’ve learned to deal with this pressure better as I’ve carved my own path. I’ve become a bit more thick-skinned and worry less about the opinions of others.

 

To stop comparing myself to other girls.

At one time I wouldn’t have simply been able to compliment another girl without secretly feeling jealous or upset that I didn’t look that way. Now when I see girls with stunning looks I don’t compare myself to them. I can appreciate what they’ve got and what I’ve got.

To be much more comfortable in my own skin.

At one time I would never have dreamed of leaving the house without having done my hair and makeup. Before my twenties you would have had to surgically remove the straighteners from my hands! I no longer wear makeup Monday to Friday and I’m quite happy to just blow dry my hair.  I have accepted my body’s frame and structure and come to terms with the fact I am never going to have womanly curves. I am now happy to show off and accentuate my height and build and make the best of what I’ve got instead of wishing I had something else.

 

You have to make time for exercise and looking after your health. There is never an ideal time.

My mum wasn’t lying when she told me time speeds up as you get older. I now laugh at my younger self’s idea of ‘being busy.’ Life definitely gets busier, more hectic and more stressful throughout your twenties. Trying to organise a date when you and your friends are all free to meet up is like solving a Rubik’s cube. This is why taking care of your health and fitness takes dedication and determination. You will always find an excuse not to and fitting it in will never be easy but it’s a must. It is a time of your life when you are most likely to head for a burnout and most likely to pick up unhealthy habits. You have to work hard to take care of yourself.

Working out should be fun and it’s about much more than just losing or maintaining weight. 

Because you are so strapped for time and have to really make an effort to fit in exercise, it should be fun. If it’s not, you won’t do it and will make excuses. I was not a sporty teenager and hated PE at school. But I always danced and loved it. I’ve learned it doesn’t matter what exercise you do so long as you are exercising! I’ve realised it’s not just about keeping in shape. It is my stress relief, it provides me with a sense of well-being, it relaxes me and it makes me happy. It has an uplifting effect and gives me self-confidence.

 

For me, my twenties have been a massive learning curve and period of growth but at 27 years and 10 months they are not over just yet! There is no doubt more to learn in this chapter’s last quarter. But I can’t help already wondering what my thirties will hold. We will have to wait a while for that blog post… 🙂