The Most Important Lessons I Learned In 27 Years

When I was younger, I used to imagine what my life would be like in the future. Where I am now is never where I planned to be, but I am slowly learning to be okay with this. I didn’t “make it” by 25 like I had planned to. The person I was supposed to marry when I turned 27 turned out to be completely wrong for me. I do not have my own home or apartment. I am alone. I am exhausted. But I know that 27 isn’t the end and that I haven’t run out of time to do all of those things. Milestones are still significant even if you achieve them later than you wanted to.

Life has turned upside down more times than I can count, but I still haven’t given up. Every time I am about to close the chapter on the dreams I have started having a difficult time believing in anymore, I manage to find just a little more strength to keep going. That might be one of the most important things that I have learned in my 27 years on this earth: You have to keep going.

I have been so tempted by the idea of just giving up and settling more times than I can count. No one is going to hand you everything you ever dreamed of on a silver platter just because. You have to put in the work. You have to put in the effort. And you have to persevere. Settling for a career, a partner, or a life that is not what you want will only leave you feeling empty. You will have bad times, and you will have times so terrible that even the bad times seem good in comparison. You cannot let those days define the rest of your life. Do not let one bad thing throw you off of your course. You are supposed to be here, and it will get better.

Maybe you have had 27 years of bad days, and day one of year 28 will be your best day yet. That’s the beauty of this life we live. We never know what the next day will bring. Sometimes the uncertainty can become overwhelming. Of course, we would all be more comfortable if we knew what was going to happen before it happened. But if you always knew what to expect next, would you ever try something new? Would you ever step outside of your comfort zone if you knew you were going to fail?

I think we need that element of surprise in our lives. I think sometimes we need to fail. We need to be wild and fearless. We need to take the first step without being sure of where our foot will land. We have to trust that we are meant to be on this journey and that each triumph and each mistake happens for its own beautiful reason. We fail so we can learn. We fail so we can grow. We fail so we can begin to appreciate all that we already have around us. We fail so that we can see the value in perseverance.

It can become so easy to get caught up in what the rest of the world is doing. If you were supposed to be living their lives, you would be. You have your path, and they have theirs. There is a reason they have what they have and why you are where you are right now. Trust in the universe to guide you through the life you are meant to be living. The twists and turns don’t mean your path has ended. They are simply a reroute to the home you were always meant to find.

Here’s to your best year yet.

I hope you never give up.