Being 25 is hard. And it's okay.

Being 25 is hard. Has anyone told you that?

I feel like it needs to be said. Again, loudly for the girls in the back. Being 25 is hard.

While I am grateful and excited for this season of life, I am continuously conflicted and questioning myself. “Am I doing this right?”

We are thrown into the world with an idea of who we want to be. A dream of what we want our life to look like.

While stalking the traveling, non-working, rich, “I post about flat tummy tea for a living and vacation to Bali for yoga classes,” kinda chicks. Our minds are summarized by a never-ending cycle of failed efforts to figure it out. Who else is asking themselves, “Is this it?”

 We get our first job right out of college, with a degree that we slaved over, that now means sh*t. (sorry, but it’s true. No one cares where you went to college or what you majored in. Don’t tell.)

After living the 9-5 life (begrudgingly, unhappily) we realize this may not be quite what we wanted. Now what?

The constant struggle of a mundane job and a relentless pressure to, “Live your best life, follow your passion. Be successful.”

What does that even mean? Quit my job and sell baked goods so I can travel the world and Instagram about it?

The pressure from a transparent society where we are exposed to every success and every glimmer of our peers (apparent) perfect life is destructive. From money, to weight, to career, marriage, children, and home.

Meanwhile, when you’re 25, you’re poor. Rent and home ownership are expensive.

“You’re only 25! Live a little.” ……………. “You’re 25, save some damn money, 30 is around the corner,.” (Money may ACTUALLY buy you happiness in your 20’s.)

To add insult to injury, your friends change. Learning to surround yourself with the right people, and letting go of those who are not allowing you to reach your true potential, becomes a harsh reality. Letting go of people is hard. Transitioning into adulthood without those you leaned on in previous years is sucky. People change and friends grow apart, and that’s a hard pill to swallow. I am jolted, tired, confused, and now I have to  break up with my friends?

And making new friends at 25? It’s a joke. “I’m 25, wanna be my friend? I need someone who likes to drink wine and hang in their pajamas with their dog. Did I tell you I’m 25? So, I don’t really want to go out because trying to squeeze into those ‘going out’ ensembles from 21 doesn’t really sound like fun.  The thought of nursing a hangover (that I know will be brutal) sounds about as fun as a root canal. Also can we be in bed by 10?” Any takers?

Weekends creep in slowly.. (YES! It’s here. Finally!). Time to cram fun, family, errands, laundry, vet visits, grocery shopping, to-do-lists, house scrubbing, catching up with friends, and oh yeah- SLEEP- into 48-hours. And remember that dream of yours? That side business you have always wanted to open, that blog you have always wanted to launch? Make some time to build your second career, too. May the odds be in your favor.

Can we talk about the metabolism issue while we are at it? Because now you’re tired, you’re poor, you’re breaking up with your friends, working harder than you’ve ever worked in your life, with zero time to spare. And you know what sounds real good? Donuts. Or a large cheese pizza. How bout some cheesy pasta and garlic bread to lick those wounds? Not so fast- now you’re beginning to not recognize yourself in the mirror. Now is time for; “Eat less, workout more!” #mealprep #fitlife

Get enough sleep! Drink enough water! Don’t forget to workout! But relax! Watch what you eat! Travel! Love yourself! Be successful! And save money. And have fun!

Feeling the pressure?

Because I am! I am feeling it. I am in the 20-something rut. I am in it and I am living it.

And I am not happy.

More days than not have been a struggle recently. Where am I going? What is my plan? What is my purpose? Am I strong enough? Am I doing enough?

“Life is short too do anything you hate!” Oh wait... these bills. My insurance. My home. My family.

It’s exhausting. I am typically a positive person, I have never really struggled with seeing the glass half-full in my life. But lately, the glass is looking a little emptier than usual. I live for the weekends. The days are long. I am mad at myself for letting myself go, struggling for the first time in my life with what appears to be anxiety and depression (I said it). 

I have done a lot of soul searching, praying, and wine drinking (same thing) and I am here to tell you…

WE WILL BE OKAY! We will. Not tomorrow. Not on Monday. But we will.

We are going to be in this rut and it’s going to suck. But someone needs to tell you; it’s okay.

 Eating that pasta on a Monday night (in bed) is okay. Having that extra glass of wine is okay. Blowing off your friends is okay. Not explaining yourself is okay. Being in credit card debt is okay. Not knowing what you’re doing is okay. Faking it is okay. Lying in bed with 8 hours of Netflix is okay. Donuts for breakfast is okay. Letting your house go is okay. Pajamas at 6pm instead of working out, is okay. Missing your friends is okay. Panicking about life moving too fast is okay.

Feeling stuck is okay.

But you know what I have been telling myself lately? “Do what you have to do, so you can do what you want to do.”

We are doing the best we can, and that’s a damn good job. And it’s okay.