What You Miss Out On In Your 20s When You're Always Looking For The Next Best Thing
When we're in our 20s, some of us tend to live life at a thousand miles per minute. We focus on the future and forget to take time to soak up the present. The truth is, some of what's next has to be left up to chance. There are so many things you miss out on in your 20s when you're always focusing on the next best thing. For now, you should set your sights on living in the moment and appreciating what's right in front of you.
There's something to be said for stopping to smell the roses. You learn to see the beauty in the littlest things, and you're content with where you're at in life. It can be a struggle to not compare yourself to your friends and what path they may be following. You have your own passions to pursue, though, and need to find some comfort in the unknown.
You really don't need to have everything figured out, and you're really missing out on these seven things when you're more worried about what's next. Be proactive when it comes to following your dreams, but don't get caught up in what's supposedly the next best thing. It's your life to live, and you don't want another second to go by without embracing it all.
01Growing Up
Sure, it can be kind of scary when you don't have your future all figured out. (I struggled so much with getting comfortable with the unknown, especially after graduating college.) But when you choose to focus on what's next, you miss out on all of the beautiful parts of growing up.
Moving to a new city, signing the lease for your first apartment, and picking out new clothes for your first "big girl" job are important footprints in your journey. The memories you make in the present will inspire you going forward. So, stop rushing and let life hand you your own set of lemons to make lemonade.
02Making The Most Of Your Mistakes
You'll make a thousand mistakes when you're in your 20s, but running away from them is never the answer. Sometimes the situation may be rough, like when you have a fight with your roommate or flake on a coffee date with your cousin. Other times, you might simply forget how to cook chicken the right way, and end up ordering takeout for dinner instead.
Don't miss out on making the most of these bumps in the road. Part of adulting is becoming stronger from the mistakes you make. Your future will be filled with challenges, but making mistakes now helps you figure out what's best for you when those curveballs come around again.
03Unexpected Friendships
Being 20-something means you probably have a few besties in your life. They're reliable shoulders to cry on, and the only people you'd split a burger with at your favorite restaurant. You've come in contact with a lot of different crews, but you know these friends are in your life for the long haul.
However, when you're so focused on your current friends and all of your future adventures together, you forget to appreciate new friendships that could be pretty spectacular. You might meet someone new at work, and don't end up pursuing any plans, or simply assume there's no room in your life for another relationship. These unexpected friendships could bring new inspiration into your life, so don't sleep on adding to your squad.
04Life Lessons
Even once you graduate college, there's still a lot to learn. Life will throw you curveballs, and you learn how to roll with them. Things don't always have to go according to plan to be amazing.
When you're tuned into what may be the next big thing, you never give yourself a chance to learn. Every experience and adventure comes with life lessons you'll miss out on if you're obsessing on figuring out your fate. Climbing the mountain is just as important as seeing the view from the top.
05An Open Heart And Mind
When you put some appreciation into the present, you start to see life a little differently. Your heart and mind become more open to opportunities you didn't know existed. Consider switching things up and dating someone who might not seem like "your type" at first. You might be pleasantly surprised to discover they're so right for you.
We can be so quick to judge our current situation when we believe the grass is much greener on the other side. If you look a little closer, you may find exactly what you're looking for. You realize the little things in life, like eating cookie dough straight out of the bowl, can make your entire day, and you start saying "yes" to every adventure. You wouldn't want to miss out on any of that, am I right?
06Trusting Yourself
Rushing through life means you might lose your footwork. You're working off of assumptions, and maybe a bit of fear. It's key to know you'll do just fine one day in the future, as long as you take some time to trust yourself. You're going to slay every situation that comes your way if you believe you can — just don't let yourself miss out on a few things in the meantime.
