We're told that being in our twenties is the decade for everything. Falling in love, travelling the world, having a family and succeeding in your career. But life doesn't end at 30, does it?

It's a constant lie sold to us, especially women, that we need to have it all in our first decade of adulthood. That unrealistic goal makes many of us feel constantly lost, searching for answers and comparing ourselves to our counterparts. Nobody has it all in their twenties, we're all learning what being an adult is, making mistakes and picking ourselves up over and over again.

The beauty of our twenties is that evolution; how we go from a teenager into an adult figure, making memories, achieving goals specific to us, gaining friends, losing friends, loving hard, having our hearts broken and failing over and over again. 

The rollercoaster that is our twenties is what makes it incredibly beautiful. We're not meant to be at the peak of our life, we're meant to be learning to love life, learning to love ourselves more, and figuring out what feels right to us and what our future should look like. We all change. We all evolve, and that's okay.

Boundaries. Self-love. Self-care. Pity parties. Deep chats. Heartbreak.

Your twenties aren't meant to be easy. Your twenties are about learning.

I'm nearing the last year of this powerful decade, and I'm nothing like the 20-year-old girl I once was.

Confidence. Power. Self-love. Self-belief. Respect. 

These words stick out more in my mind about how I am. I've lost friendships. I've cried over those who have hurt me. I've failed multiple times. I've changed jobs. I've moved away from my home town. I've travelled the world. I've learned gratitude. I've changed my mindset. I've gained respect for who I am.

I am different, but I am the same. The heart of who I was hasn't changed. I've embraced that and learned how to be my authentic self and how that authenticity helps me feel confident, loved and valued.

Being in your twenties is a challenge. You'll see friends and people online who are thriving and constantly compare yourself. You'll doubt yourself at every new decision. You'll break at everything that goes wrong. This is okay. This is normal.

Every person in their twenties is figuring it out. 

Every person in their thirties is figuring it out.

Turning a year older or a decade older doesn't mean you'll suddenly be successful or feel differently. It's how you hone in on who you are, practice and learn what feels like a happy and content life for you, and surround yourself with people who love you.

I'm grateful for what my twenties have taught me so far. How I've learned to love, deal with heartbreak and appreciate life isn't always about the big moments; the little moments make us feel fulfilled and content.

Twenties wonder. Twenties joy. Twenties heartbreak. 

I'm excited to see the love and happiness in the rest of my twenties.