Is It Just Me, or Is Life in Your Mid-20s Characterized by Struggles?

As I slowly count down the days to my 25th birthday, a globally celebrated milestone, one question keeps echoing in my mind:

• Why did I naively believe that life would be picture-perfect at 25?

Growing up, I had a clear vision of my mid-20s future. I imagined a stable career, meaningful friendships, and a strong sense of purpose. I was dedicated to the course, acquiring degrees, acing interviews, getting jobs, meeting people, and religiously pursuing every goal I had. I was deep in the grind.

Yet, here I am! 

As I reflect soberly, all I see are tears and fears stemming from perceived delays.

Every day feels like a battle, an internal struggle between my hope for success and the fear of failure. Whether I'm scrolling through the media, engaging with my social circles, or simply at home, I'm bombarded with testimonies of my peers' overachievements.

So I’ll ask:

• Is the mid-20s phase hard for everybody?

• Are we all currently facing struggles?

• Are our journeys to fulfillment and purposeful living laden with obstacles and challenges that weigh us down daily?

• Are we all winging it, never achieving the specific goals we set as children and teenagers?

In my opinion, the hard truth is a nuanced NO! 

We are not the same people, not all striving for the same things, and our priorities aren’t alike, so how can we all be struggling, weighed down and winging it? 

Some of us have obtained degrees, secured jobs, acquired wealth, gotten married, and had children, yet still feel purposeless. Others on this same path already feel fulfilled. And then there are those who have taken completely different routes but haven’t given up. We are all distinctly deep in the grind.

God never promised me a picture-perfect life at 25 and I don't think He has promised any other person same. That's just a new age not a tool for measuring purposeful living. 

It’s misguided to believe that 'everything will be fully figured out by your mid-20s mark' because life’s challenges are not age-specific. If we complain of struggling today, were our lives obstacle-free at ages 10, 15, or 20? Bad days are transient, only good days endure indefinitely. 

So, “NO,” the mid-20s phase is not the designated period for a quarter-life crisis and it's certainly not the time to fret over unaccomplished dreams. It's a time for God, a time to hope, a time for faith and a season for all round growth. 

One of the most popular scriptures in Jeremiah, confirms that God's thoughts towards us are for prosperity, safety, a future, and hope (Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)). They are clearly written out. Isn't that all we want? 

As long as we live in God and His word abides in us, our lives might not be exactly what we pictured, but we’ll never be stagnant, unfulfilled, frustrated or limited by age-based superstitions. There might be rough patches along the way but they will only represent opportunities to grow and prepare for so much more.

I've chosen to shift my paradigm and live celebrating all my wins. I challenge you regardless of your age or status to embrace every phase of your life with grace, faith and trust in God’s timing. 

I wish you a Happy New Month and a bright and beautiful day, filled with renewed hope and endless possibilities!!!

See you on the 15th of June!