Twenty-Somethings.

Uncharted territory.

10 years of uncertainty.

3,650 days of fiscal responsibilities.

87,600 hours full of opportunities to travel.

5,256,000 minutes of self discovery.

315,360,000 seconds of the most exhilarating time period of your life.

I have the privilege of turning 20 later this year. Now for most people, this isn’t a hugely celebrated milestone. For friends of mine, 18 was important because it implies legal adulthood and the ability to go to casinos and buy scratchers. For others friends, 21 is momentous and exciting because the ability to consume alcohol legally, in the States, for the first time. However, neither one of those ages or privileges are of interest to me personally.

20, to me, is the most exciting birthday since entering double digit ages. My teenage years brought lots of time spent in self-loathing, jealousy, greed, and general sadness. So entering my twenties offers the ability to leave those horrible teenage years and the attitudes that accompanied much of that time behind me.

I decided to write out some goals, or reminders rather, that I felt would be important to have as my twentysomething years begin.

• Be a bit selfish. Not to the extent of raising self above others but just enough to feel that it is worth spending a bit of quality time and money pampering and taking care of myself.
• Remember how much people mean to you and let constantly acknowledge how vital they are to your life by text, letters, hugs, chats, etc.
• Travel. Travel. Travel.  Trek any direction you feel drawn to. North to South, East to West. Go everywhere and anywhere you can. Be a wanderlust.  It broadens your perspectives in ways that cannot exist being sedentary. It is a beautiful way to learn about cultures, the world, and yourself. It will knock you down to size and help you realize just how incredible God is to create such incredible places and people.
• Learn more about finances. Ask mom and dad for their advice, tips, tricks, etc. They might not have accounting degrees, but they do know a thing or two about how to handle money.
• Be thankful. Constantly be reminded of how fortunate you are. Don’t let comparison dull the shine of the many blessings you are given.
• Be a blessing, not a curse. Encourage and empower others rather than being discouraging and dissolving someone’s confidence.

There are more things I want from my twentysomethings but I’ll start with these six. Here’s to a new decade, a blank slate, and a chance to move past those beyond awkward teenage years.

I tried and tried to find a quote that spoke on the twenties in a manner that would be applicable, but failed. However, I did watch Coach Carter the other day and succeeded in finding a quote that I would like to be an exemplary for my upcoming years as a twentysomething. Hopefully my fellow peers and twentysomethings will join in allowing these sentences to be a guide for our conduct and interactions with others.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It’s not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

(Timo Cruz, from the film Coach Carter)

Thanks for reading!

[Oh, and that 20th birthday is Aug. 5 for reference ;) ]

-Kristyn Hale