27 Feels…
Hi Sunnies,
I’m turning twenty seven this month, wow! 27 feels like what I used to imagine 25 would feel like. It feels like I’m closing the chapter on adolescence and welcoming womanhood in a real and tangible way. It feels like I’m finally becoming the “adult” I think I am.
So, as I usher in womanhood, I thought I would end this with 5 of the biggest lessons my early 20s taught me…
Take good care of yourself—Nobody can teach you how to love and care for yourself. No one can do that work for you. You have to look in the mirror and like what you see and go to sleep at peace about the kind of person you have been in the world. It’s not about looking how you think you should look either. It’s accepting that even the ugliest, most broken version of you deserves unconditional love. The second you believe that you are deserving of the very best, and see yourself the way God sees you—to die for—your life will change. You deserve good things, good love, great friends, the dream job, the cutest boy, you are worthy of those things. Anything is possible for the one who believes. I think it was Henry Ford who said, “whether you think you can or you think you can’t, it’s true.” As soon as you shift the way you view you, it can teach everyone around you how to treat you.
Learn how to leave—God is your only source. You don’t need a job, a man, a friend, a city, or anything else to validate you or your value. Sometimes we hold on to the things we think we need because of something we think it does for us. But God is the only source you need. Be careful with this. I am not suggesting you act in haste and leave something everytime it gets challenging or uncomfortable. Pray for wisdom and discernment. BUT when you know, you KNOW!
Live in or below your means—The greatest thing you can do in this society is live in, or below, your means. That means your expenses should be less than your income. It is not easy to do in a world with loans and credit cards. But, the more you practice sound financial planning, the better you are setting yourself up for abundance. And enjoy it! It sounds crazy but in your early 20s the cheap trips, road trips, fast food dates, cooking together sleepovers, are sooooo much fun and make for the very best memories. Don’t waste this season hoping and praying for the next season.
Say YES—As long as you can do it, do it! Go to the random meeting with your friend, drive through the night, take the spirit flight, sleep on a friends couch, just say yes. I have had sooooo many experiences and met so many people that I had no business with simply because I was in the right place at the right time. Thank God for all the times I went out with a friend that night or went to that pilates class. Say yes! It is worth it.
Nothing is random or coinsidence—God is real and He is intentional. He will close doors for reasons you can’t even imagine. Take everything as a sign. If something does not feel right when you get to the party, leave. If something is telling you to call your friend, call. God is ordering every one of your steps. Learn to be content whatever the circumstances because He makes no mistakes.
I know this probably seems like a lot of random advice and some things are easier said than done. But, if I could go back and tell my 21-year-old self, who was about to embark on 6 years of incredible transformation, this is what I would say. I hope it helps you.
Goodbye adolescence, hello womanhood!
forever blooming,
Mikaela Amira
