Chioma Nwankwo: How I Learned to Enjoy my Twenties

Just like me, I know that most of us had a particular way we thought our life would turn out by the time we clock a certain age. Many of us wanted to have it all figured out before twenty-five. Now that we’re past that age, we get depressed, anxious, and tired, and we sometimes have to start all over again. We get mad at ourselves first, other people, and then God. The pandemic is not even helping matters, for me, it has caused anxiety. Nowadays, I set goals for myself and when I achieve it, I move to the next, not celebrating my achieved goals but rather sulking that it took much more time than planned.

Here are a few things that have helped me so far:

There isn’t one particular thing that will take away all your needs and wants

Waiting for that big break is you being delusional. There’s always going to be something new to do, new rent, new financial need for yourself, family and friends. The approach I have adopted is to enjoy my life even if everything is not as planned because being miserable won’t take it all away either. This mindset made me realise that there’s no such thing as ‘destination happiness’, I can choose to be contented now and do whatever I have to do with all my might to avoid regrets and be happy while at it.

Reduce the expectations you put on people

Do not take people’s actions personally – whatever others do is all about who they are and their reality. Build your circle, this will reduce the need for validation from outsiders and prevent unnecessary suffering.

When you lose something, keep it moving

Be it friends, money, investment, and so on, learn to move on when you lose something. You have your life ahead of you to be stuck at a young age. I have this mindset that as long as you do it right, you’ll always get something better in return when you lose something. Stop wallowing and pick yourself up.

Do not believe that God is punishing you for your sin

Many times, people accept terrible situations because they feel they deserve it. Many people believe that they are suffering for the sins of their past life, and that’s why things are the way they are. Always do your best and don’t settle for less.

Choices have consequences

Think before you make a decision because whatever actions you take will yield matching results. Be careful with choices because they determine a lot of other things, but even at that, don’t beat yourself up when you make a mistake, move on and live life.

This is how I have been enjoying my twenties because wahala for who dey run from adulthood, haha.