My 25th Year

Turning 25 wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. I thought that being alive for a quarter of a century would make me go crazy, make me feel "old" and make me regret things about my life. However, I didn't feel that way. Maybe because work was crazy the week before and I was too tired to do anything but have fun and relax, I was content with where I was at that moment in time. I was privately a mess during quarantine and peak Covid--it took over my life and made me evaluate my career and what I had accomplished and it revealed that I was in a depressive state and at a company that I would never move up in. My job when I was 23 and 24 years old literally brought me down and sucked out any ounce of creativity I had cultivated in years past. Finding the will to claw myself out of a bleak situation was one of the hardest things I have ever done, and I look at myself 3 years ago and am so proud of how strong and independent I have become.

I was able to break into an industry I had been dying to get into since I graduated college, and started writing for fun again, something that at one point not too long ago felt like an impossible feat. This upcoming year I want to become more mindful of each day I have and prioritize my time and health. Focusing on friendships, family relationships, taking care of myself and not stressing about things that in the grand scheme of things don't really matter. Life has improved in so many ways in the past year, and I was able to prove to myself that if I actually work hard and have a goal I can achieve it. I now welcome aging and am embracing that I have entered a new stage in my life that will lead to bigger career opportunities, traveling, and even children.

I am officially in my mid-twenties, and I can't believe how quickly my early 20's went by. It was a time of uncertainty and change, not being taken seriously, and a lack of confidence. I have lost people I thought I was close to and could always count on, something I have learned is pretty common when you reach adulthood. Something else I have learned is that people don't always want you to succeed, and you have to stand up for yourself and leave situations you don't feel good in, as simple as that sounds. This is a time of advocating for myself and making sure I feel seen and heard. For far too long, I have worried about how things may appear, and I want to be a better, kinder, smarter, and more cultured person. Though this may sound like a diary entry, I think something everyone can relate to is that growing up and getting older is scary and unpredictable, but it's also exciting and rewarding and not to sound cliche but I can't wait to see what other happy parts will pop up this year.