Tackling your twenties: A confusing Age

Despite the notion that these are your most exciting years, despite being freed of real adult commitments, the twenties are indeed some of your most difficult years. Your twenties are a constant tug of war of emotions. These are the years you are torn between being the party animal, going out every night and  staying at home to watch the political debate or a Chanel 4 documentary .You seem to be in limbo and stuck between adulthood and somewhere not quite there yet.

Suddenly you have a sea of things to think about:

1) Getting your career on track (be it doing that internship that opens doors or finding a grad job), you're now thinking past that retail weekend job at your local shopping centre. These are the years that seem to shape you as an adult and so finding the perfect job is pretty much high on the to do list . You want a stable income but you also don't want to be miserable in a 9-5 job. Alas the job dilemma.

2) Getting that new home. It now seems a bit inappropriate to be still staying at mum and dad's even though you're still their child. You're now just an old child (It's a bit like still wanting to be breastfed at 5 years old). After university and its freedom most don't want to return to mummy's house rules. You want to jump on to the Property ladder but you also want to clear your student overdraft. 

3) And the big one: finding the perfect partner. At this stage in your life you're not searching for a frog you're searching for a prince. You might pray to all your gods to find a stable relationship as it seems to be in fashion. At this point your peers are getting engaged and getting kids and so the pressure is real! 

Every time you log onto your social media, someone is happily flourishing a rock on their finger; someone is introducing their new bundle of joy, someone has a new set of wheels, someone is now clutching a degree in their hand,  someone has new keys to their home. And boom! Panic begins... "Is there something I'm not doing right? I am going about it the wrong way? Am I too going to achieve these things?"

STOP RIGHT THERE! Yes, it's tough, Yes, everyone seems to be going places, Yes, you might not be anywhere near these places; but here's what matters- focusing on YOU and building the empire that is YOU.  A messy "break up" left me evaluating the importance of finding myself first and that it is okay to walk as long as you get to your destination. That job will come, that prince will come, that home will come. It isn't a competition.

My advice to anyone in their twenties who feels as though they might not be there yet. Remember Rome wasn't built in a day. Persevere, work hard and you're half way there!

Tanaka x