I.

Sometimes I remind myself that it’s okay to take things slow. There’s no reason to feel pressured and catch up with all these younger people who seem to be reaching huge milestones in their lives. Maybe I’m not supposed to become the best version of myself in my mid-twenties. Because there’s a lot more to learn, more improvements to make. And I’m not in a metaphorical deadline to be a certain someone at a certain age.

Growth isn’t always quantitatively measured. Ultimately, the person who can determine how much you’ve grown is yourself. It’s you who will look back one day and see how far you’ve journeyed. Gauging yourself against some external factors is pointless and unhealthy. Life doesn’t suck just because you’re not yet where these other people are right now.

It’s true that this isn’t where you’ll end up, and though that might be a little bit difficult to believe if you really ponder about it, there’s a glimmer of hope on that thought. You just have to let yourself believe into something. You have to trust that there’s more to see down the road.

II.

The world is such an amazing place not to be explored — this you will fully realize when you leave your comfort zone and go somewhere you know no one. Traveling helps you uncover the possibility of connecting with people who speak languages you haven’t even heard of before. And though they are complete strangers to you, they’ll warm your heart so much you’ll be convinced you’ve known them for a long time. Because of them, your faith in humanity will be restored. For a moment, you’ll be reminded that there are still good people out there.

This earth we’re living on is vast and incredible. And it’s comforting to know that you can meet people who are exactly like you and that you can find and build your home anywhere. There’s always a space for you in this world where you can go and start a new chapter. And that is such a powerful thing to remember during the times when you’re in need of some encouragement.

III.

Once in a while, I ask myself: What if I only have a few more months left to live, have I been satisfied with the kind of life story that I have created? It’s a morbid thought to entertain, but it does flip a switch in your brain. It makes you reconsider some decisions you turned down in the past. It pushes you to wonder whether you’re playing life the safe way or you’re doing exactly what you came here on earth to do. When your time is running out and the idea of expiration date crosses your mind, you won’t have the energy to waste thinking that your life sucks. You will stop giving a shit to anything or anyone that is not important to you. Because time isn’t always going to be on your side. And the truth is, you’ll never know when the end will come. You just know that it will happen.

IV.

There are many ways to meet the love of your life. We now live in a generation where you have quick access and can communicate with people using only your mobile. If you’re really keen to find a long-lasting partner, you need to put yourself out there. Because in as much as it’s adorable to say that love will find you, there’s still a big chance that you will not get what you want when you don’t put much effort.

Your experience about dating someone who treated you like an absolute garbage in the past isn’t an excuse for you to shut off your heart. One bad person doesn’t represent an entire population. There are millions of people out there who would love to get to know you and fall in love with you, it’s not a terrible thing to open yourself up again.

X.

For so many months, I’ve written a lot about brokenness and singlehood. I enjoyed discussing them and sharing to the world everything that I’ve learned about them. Because I believe these topics are relatable, they’re the bridges that connect us all.

But the problem about being single for so long was that, at some point, I was convinced that I was comfortable with loneliness. I loved my own company and was satisfied with it. Until a certain guy came into my life, and for a moment I was reminded how nice it was to have someone love me back.

After a few years of failed attempts to have a functioning romantic relationship, I have finally found someone who teaches me every day the true meaning of love. Someone who sees a future with me and makes an effort to show me his loyalty.

I used to live in a world where I grew up believing there’s no one that I could trust wholeheartedly. But my boyfriend proved that wrong. There’s a right person destined for all of us — it’s just a matter of time when we’ll be able to meet them. If there’s one big thing that I’ve learned in the last couple of months, it’s this: Life doesn’t suck when you can wake up each morning knowing someone out there accepts you and loves you regardless of your past.

In this lifetime, you will date a lot of people who will end up hurting you, but I’ve discovered that once you find that one person who is willing to sacrifice their time and give everything that you deserve, you should do all that you can to never let them go.