5 Things You Learn to Let Go of in Your 20s: The Struggles of Adulthood
It’s hard to say goodbye. As a child, you waved goodbye to your parents as they drove away to work and you felt a sense of sadness, but also independence. As an adult, you learn that there are other goodbyes – some that are forced upon you, and others that you choose. Here are 5 things that adults learn to let go of in their 20s.
1. Figuring out who you are and what you want in life
For most of us, our 20s are a time of exploration. We try new things, meet new people, and travel to new places. We’re constantly changing and growing, and it can be tough to keep up. It’s easy to lose yourself in the process, but eventually you learn that it’s okay to not have everything figured out. You learn to be comfortable with the unknown and to trust that everything will work out in the end.
2. Learning to live with less money and fewer things
In your 20s, you’re probably not making a lot of money. You might be working a minimum wage job or living off of student loans. You don’t have much to your name, and that’s okay. You learn to live with less and to appreciate the things that you do have. You also learn that material possessions aren’t as important as you thought they were.
3. Saying goodbye to carefree days and nights
As you get older, you start to value your time more. You realize that you can’t party every night and expect to function properly during the day. You learn to pace yourself and to enjoy a good night’s sleep.
Goodbye, carefree days! Hello, early mornings and responsible adulthood.
4. Struggling through heartbreak and disappointment
Your 20s are full of love and loss. You’ll experience your first heartbreak, your first real disappointment. And it’s tough. But you learn from it and you move on. You learn that not everything in life is going to go your way, but that’s okay.
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?
Click here to read advice on How To Date In Your 20s.
5. Letting go of relationships that don’t serve you anymore
This one is tough. You’ll make friends in your 20s, and you’ll grow apart from some of them. You’ll also have relationships that just don’t work out. And that’s okay too.You learn to let go of the things that don’t make you happy and to hold on to the things that do.
As we enter our 30s, we learn to say goodbye to other things – like the illusion of perfection and the idea that we have to have it all together. We learn to embrace change and uncertainty, and we realize that life is a journey, not a destination. We accept ourselves for who we are, warts and all, and we learn to forgive ourselves for our mistakes. We know that everything happens for a reason, and we trust the process of life. What will you let go of in your 30s?
