When I was in my early 20s, I thought 29 would never come. Yet in two days I will be turning 29 (*sarcastic gasp*). Let’s face it, being 27, 28 or 29 isn’t even that old. If we are lucky we may be able to live double or even triple this time. Yet my vision of my future while I was in my teenage years seemed to stop at 27 where I should be happily married, working a fulfilling job and preparing to have two kids – one daughter and one son. This idealistic view on life likely came from my mother who told me that life will be perfect and it will progress a certain way. Don’t get me wrong, my mum is an amazing mother and my life has been pretty great, but it hasn’t been without its fears, setbacks and mistakes, like everybody else’s, and I am not quite where I envisioned myself to be.
As I venture through my late 20s and look back, however, I realize how much more content and confident I am now than I ever was. And as I look forward, I realize how much more there is to anticipate and be excited about. So if you are currently in your late 20s or about to enter your late 20s, banish all your fears for here are the 6 reasons to love your late 20s.
– Confidence –
You know your strengths and weaknesses and that makes you confident
When I was younger I often mistook being highly skilled, performing well or being better than others as confidence. But after years of trial and error, making mistakes and falling, I’ve come to realize that confidence comes from within and it doesn’t mean you’re always good at something or better than others. Rather, if you can accept yourself for who you are – your strengths, weaknesses, beauty and imperfections – then you can find true confidence.
You will find that confidence does not come from comparison or from putting other people down, but from looking deep within yourself and finding peace and courage. The peace and courage will lift you up and bring you through challenges in life. Can you look at yourself in the mirror and accept your flaws and blemishes? Can you go to sleep knowing you have the power to make tomorrow better? Can you look at your pitfalls and mistakes knowing you will get yourself back up? That, is confidence.
– Career –
You have built or are working towards building a career, rather than just keeping a job
When I just graduated college, the financial crisis had hit for a year or so. I settled for a job that was interesting for the first year but quickly lost my interest. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I needed to pursue my real interests and passion – design, art and fashion. After studying Fashion Design at Istituto Marangoni and Parsons I decided to focus on Lingerie Design and Leather Accessories Design. I interned at lingerie companies and leather accessory companies and went on to find a full-time job (which I still keep) as a Lingerie Designer. I am happy to be in the industry I love and I see this continuing to be my career path whether through a job, blog and/or self-designed brand. For those who were lucky enough to find this earlier on in life, I commend you. For those who started a little later like me, rejoice – for you are on the right path to reaching your dreams. Perhaps you will suffer sometimes, but you will find joy in reaping the rewards of working hard for something you love!
– Clarity –
You’ve gained clarity on who you are through experiences and mistakes
In my early 20s, I was too busy enjoying life, partying, dating and loving to reflect on myself and think about who I am. As my life slows down in my late 20s and I gain more experiences and broaden my horizons I start thinking back on who I always was since I was a kid and how I’ve changed. My tendencies, likes and dislikes as a child now guide me in my adult life and help me continue on my chosen path.
Now that I’ve partied, loved, pushed myself and made mistakes, I know what works for me best. I know my personality a lot better and what kind of people I work best with. I am still an emotional person, but I’ve also become more rational with my decision-making. I know what I want and don’t want and I don’t let others talk me into things that aren’t for me. I stand up for who I am and my decisions, even if there have been mistakes, because these are my choices, my consequences and my responsibilities.
– Contentment –
You may not have or be the best but you are content
Growing up I had a great sense of pride and always wanted to be the best. I was disappointed if I ever lost or didn’t perform as well as I would have hoped. I always wanted to be better and have more. As you age you realize that you cannot be and achieve everything you want in life – and that’s okay! As long as you work hard now and enjoy every moment of your life, it’s okay if you miss out on some things. I still have high hopes, dreams and goals, but rather than dream, I work. I work for what I want and I am happy for all that I get.
When I was in my early teenage years and early 20s I used to fret about what others thought about my appearance. As I was approaching my late 20s I worried about wrinkles and growing old. Now that I’m in my late 20s I’ve come to accept aging as a necessary part of life. It should be respected rather than feared. I still don’t prefer to have wrinkles, but I am content in knowing that they will be a symbol of the experience and knowledge I have gained.
– Changes –
Life can be stable but you’re mature and strong enough to welcome changes
My life is much more stable now in my late 20s. I work hard every day and am in a happy relationship. Weekends consist of more nights in and waking up early rather than partying late and going to sleep early in the AM. I am content and happy but I also know that I can handle any changes that may come my way.
If I had to look for a new job I know I have the expertise and experience to find one. If I lose my relationship I have the courage and tenacity to pull myself through no matter how heart-broken I may be. It’s not that the events are less severe, but that I’ve become stronger as I age. I used to be terrified that I might be in my late 20s or early 30s and am single and not married. Now I realize the people who can’t see your beauty and value because of your age are exactly the ones you don’t want. The key is not to avoid aging, but to find someone who can appreciate you even as you age.
– Classics –
You understand the value of classics and seek quality over quantity.
I read somewhere that “fashion is what you buy, style is what you do with it”. Now that I’m in my late 20s, I have developed a clear style and voice in the way I dress and the things I design. This, of course, was also through a lot of trial and error. I have wasted so much money purchasing items that were not right for me or of poor quality. I now choose to invest in more classic or unique pieces and I am happy with almost all of my purchases and very little of it goes to waste. This doesn’t mean that I only choose wardrobe staples like blazers, LBDs, etc. But no matter what kind of style, I choose quality over quantity and my own style over fashion fads.
This concept of appreciating and choosing classics and quality actually applies to many other aspects of your life as well. I prefer a simple dinner date night with the one I care about over a noisy clubbing night with acquaintances I hardly know. Flashy things and crazy nights are fun for the short term, but elegance and unique style is what will last and define you. Like Audrey Hepburn puts it, “Elegance is the only beauty that never fades”.
Quite frankly, these are 6 great reasons to love life at any age. If you are in your early 20s or 30s or 40s and you resonate with these points then all the more power to you. I simply wanted to share my views at 29 and hope that you as a reader at any age can take away something positive to love about life from this article.
| Photography by Austin Donohue |
Thank you Alba Sposa for sponsoring the gold-lined suede pumps and providing the gorgeous red gown for this shoot. <3
Beautiful as always 🙂
Aww thank you!! 🙂