Through the craziness of our 20s, there are many things that we will regret or wish we could re-do. There are the countless broken hearts, lost jobs and forgotten friendships that we wish we could fix or mend.
However, we often forget that it is these very mishaps that our generation truly needs. These years are crucial for shaping us into the adults we hope to become, so it makes sense for us to make many mistakes; mistakes are what help us to learn. So, cheers to these years of delinquency!
But don’t take them for granted; to ensure you make all the right mistakes, I’ve compiled a list of things for which no 20-something should feel the need to apologize. Live it up and realize that now is your chance to do everything you want to do.
1. Don’t be sorry for falling in love with everything and everyone you meet.
During these crucial years, people tend to fall in love with literally every new person they meet and every new hobby to which they subscribe. While this love may be fleeting, you should never regret nor feel bad about it.
2. Don’t be sorry for being selfish and putting yourself first.
I often hear my friends complaining about how their significant others or best friends were being selfish by prioritizing personal plans. But that is precisely what people should be doing at our age.
As people grow older, it becomes more difficult to do exactly what we want to do. In addition to inevitable responsibilities, like money and work, other obligations will pop out and tie us down. So, do exactly what you want while you can — and don’t feel bad about it.
3. Don’t be sorry for leaving your good friends and family to chase your ambition.
My friends and family often ask why I moved halfway across the country to live my life. I try to explain that I saw something I wanted and realized I wouldn’t be able to have it where I was.
Whenever they try to guilt me into moving back and dropping my goals, I remember that this is my life and that I must chase my own happiness. No one else will do this for me for me.
4. Don’t be sorry for moving a million different times to a million different cities.
Keep moving from city to city, town to town, until you fall in love with one. Until you’re singing from your rooftop in elation, you should not settle geographically.
Move, pack up, and then move again! You should never apologize for searching for the best place to be the best you.
5. Don’t be sorry for wanting more, ever!
During our 20s, it is completely normal — even expected — never to be satisfied. We are a generation that never settles for less than our desires.
This motivation provides our generation with the power to succeed faster than any generation before. Never, ever, be sorry for wanting more for yourself — no matter who hates you for it along the way.
