Blog Post Example

Life in your 20’s feels like a massive wave. Speaking as I’m towards the end of it, reflecting on those years has brought on an overcoming force of nostalgia. Almost every day I’m reflecting. Sometimes there’s regret, even though we shouldn’t spend too much time mulling over your actions in the past. Let’s talk more about the wave and I’m sure it’ll all come together.

The initial climb of the wave began towards the end of college. This was where your confidence starts to shine at its brightest because you have a better sense of who you are and what you want to be. And you don’t know it yet, but a passion begins to build inside of you. Whether it is due to a career path or general interest you have in this world, it’s there. But right now it’s just a feeling.

*HINT -> Try to hold onto that feeling as long as you can.

Regardless, in most cases, this is a fun time in your life. Until it isn’t. Suddenly that earlier climb starts to get a bit scary. You graduated. You’re in the “real world.” Did you miss out on college? Too late to worry. You need to make money. NOW!

Your freedom is now reduced to less than a 1/4 of where you started. Switching to an almost 70-hour workweek straight out of college while looking back at the tip of the wave that we were sitting on what felt like moments ago, is when it happens. The first drop. If you can keep your boat afloat for the next year or so, it’ll be worth it.

Then there comes a point, maybe in a year or 2, that you recognize the ride-up is just a part of life. And better yet, everyone is going through the same trip. This calms your nerves and makes the rest of the journey to the peak of the next wave an enjoyable expectation.

Welcome to your mid-20's! You have money now. You’ve figured out how to work your stove but still order out most of the week. On top of that, your drinking habits could make a drunk shudder. You experiment with drugs, have fun with some sexual partners you’ll forget in a few months, and travel with friends to deposit another bucket of memories. If this was your threshold, then you were one of us.

The best years of your life are in your 20’s. Damnit I hope not. I’m planning on sticking around for 3 more lifetimes at a minimum. I hope the 1st quarter isn’t the best part of the game. Mostly because you’re still trying to feel out the playing field. If you’re not super comfy in the uniform you have on you might need to switch teams, or hell, make your own team.

I like the sports team analogy as there are a ton of easy-to-relate similarities between a game and life. One that we get lost in a lot is the crowd. No matter if you’re playing the best game of your life today or the worst. Whether you’re at home or playing an away game. The crowd will always be larger than your supporters. And the crowd has only opinions. They’ll always talk so let them talk, but you keep doing what feels right and brings you the most joy.

Too many times has that halted the choices and paths I truly wanted to go down. I call that “wave interference.” You’re on your path, your own wave, and another wave comes and sideswipes you. It boils down to the time. This is the time we are the most confident in ourselves yet the most thin-skinned. Those with bigger ambitions and opinions, or larger waves at that time, silence our true selves in almost an instance. Don’t let that happen to you. You’re on your own wave. Keep to your own flow. Because no wave is the same.

This was obviously a cliff-notes version of my 20's. There are plenty more adventures, insecurities, ambitions, and tribulations I could find and share. Hopefully, the next decade will bring more stimulating stories, valuable lessons learned, and fewer failures to repeat. And little to no regrets.

Best of luck with yours.