Your Twenties are for Trying

Over a year ago, I was having lunch at Panera with a mentor of mine while home in Lexington. With one semester left in school, a lot of decisions to be made, and an impending engagement that we all saw coming, I had quite a few emotions to unpack. At the time, I was weighing the option of following my dream of moving to Colorado and opening a Pure Barre, or even getting a job in Denver/Boulder, and I remember telling her all the reasons it wouldn't work. "It would just be really bad," I said, "to graduate college, move across the country, try to start a new career, and get married at the same time. That's a lot to take on." I remember she looked and me and said, "Yes, it could be. Or it could be exactly the right thing." Her husband officiated my wedding about 8 months after this conversation, and they walked us through every step of our marriage counseling. I've always remembered that conversation because, in a time when I was trying to avoid something that sounded uncomfortable, I was reminded that uncomfortable is often what God calls us to do. More has changed in the last year than I can possibly comprehend, but I am forever thankful for the ones who pushed me to take the leap.

My generation glorifies your twenties as a season of mistakes, missteps, and confusion. We are told that we have plenty of time to figure things out and a lifetime in front of us to determine our path. We are encouraged to save money, take entry level jobs, move back home, and get our feet underneath us. We are encouraged to play it safe, but do you know what's wrong with that picture? I can't think of a single person that I look up to who lives a life unmarred by risk.

 There's a difference between reckless living and risky living. Reckless living is what most twenty somethings end up doing when they are encouraged to "embrace the best years of their lives". My decade blows money, hits the bar before the bills, and has more casual relationships than close ones. Risky living is about chasing opportunities, doing things that scare us, and not being afraid to go against the crowd. That's the kind of life I want, so why wait until I'm older to start creating it?

We all have some sort of dream that sounds impossible and completely unrealistic. There will always be ways to convince ourselves of all the reasons why something won't work, and the cons  might outweigh the pros on paper. But, that doesn't mean your dream is wrong, and it doesn't mean that it's unattainable.

I'm not sure when we decided that easy should be an ingredient of a full life. Instead, I believe that it's time to wake up and realize that your twenties are for trying. Doing. Taking risks. Don't let the idea that stability equates to happiness squelch what has been placed on your heart.