Read This If You’re 24 And Feel Uncertain

I’m turning 24 in a month.

Every day I remind myself that whatever I’m doing right now, it’s not permanent. And I should always keep an eye on the bigger picture to push myself forward. It’s easy to get comfortable, to settle, to forget your desires for a better life when you become used to your current circumstance. Nothing terrible will happen right away but one day when you realise how much time has passed and from where you stand to your dreams is still more or less the same distance, it will hurt, hurt so much. I don’t want that to happen. I won’t let that happen. Even if my dreams don’t come true, it will be because I try and fail, not because I never do anything.

I find pleasure in doing, in advancing every day. I like to know that I’m today better than I was yesterday. I need a sense of meaning and purpose in everything I do. So I tell myself to be patient because the next few years are not the end-all-be-all — they’re just tiny pieces of this magnificent jigsaw puzzle called my life that would lead to better things later on. Sometimes it will feel hard because I don’t get to do what I like immediately but I must remember that it’s a step toward the life I want and I must persevere regardless. Soon, I’ll be able to make sense of the decisions I’ve recently made and I will be grateful that I’ve done what I’m doing. Every experience is an opportunity to understand myself better, the wisdom to help me make better choices, and simply living — That’s precious in its own right.

I know I’m still young, so young. I have so much time ahead. However, comes with this is the fear that I will waste my greatest resource, getting older with nothing to show for it except for, well, wrinkles. I feel the pressure to achieve more, the self-doubt that maybe I’m really just mediocre, and the frustration that I haven’t yet done as much as I could. Every day, I go to work, I meet people, I try to write, I take care of myself mentally and physically, and I do many other things, yet somehow it doesn’t feel enough. I can’t shake this feeling that I should be doing something bigger than I’m, I should live a more influential life, I should spend my time differently. I can’t seem to give myself any credits for all that I’ve earned for myself.

I want to. I must. I need to understand that my progress is okay. As long as I’m not running away from the moment and I’m here engaging, then I have nothing to worry about. At the end of the day, the quality of my life is the sum quality of all the moments I have, and so, if each moment is treated with care and love and authenticity, my life will be good no how much I might achieve. My life will feel full. I will feel satisfied. I will understand there are only a few things in life that truly matter and by being present, I’ve got most of them covered. The focus should always be now. How do I truly live this moment? How do I make the most of it while I’m at it? Little mindfulness will go a long way and it will take care of the rest.

24 is a beautiful age. There’s so much room for changes and so much potential for a fulfilling life of my own design. There are so many things I could do, could try, could utilise to expand my horizon. The world is so big, and anything can happen, I believe. I’ll stay calm. I will not push or rush myself. I will make plans for my future and let myself breathe. I will figure out what I like and want and go do just that. I will learn to enjoy this ordinary life with endless extraordinary moments.