I never truly enjoyed where I was at, because it could never compare to the possibilities of the future, which is absurd for a child. This inevitably led to many hazy and anxious years for me. This is how I came to learn about enjoying where I’m at in life.
How it started
Dating back to… well, as long as I can remember, I continuously wished to reach the next milestone age because that meant I would reach the next stage in my life. All of these stages would eventually lead me to the ultimate stage: love, marriage, and becoming a mother. Now that I’m enjoying where I am in life, I look back to this mentality and think it was absurd.
And so the countdown continued…
In high school, I couldn’t wait to turn 16 so that I could learn how to drive.
Once I learned how to drive, I didn’t care because I wanted to turn 18 so that I could go out drinking with my friends.
When I turned 18, I didn’t care about clubbing because I’d soon be starting university. Which meant I needed to be serious.
Two years into university, I couldn’t wait to start working full time so that I could have a steady income and comfortably plan the next few years of my life.
What I’ve learned
I’m now at a place in my life where I realize how much time I wasted worrying about the future. Worrying that I wasn’t on the right track, not taking risks, overthinking every decision I made, and ultimately not being mentally and emotionally present for the majority of my youth.
Perhaps this is a side effect of anxiety which I’ve had my entire life, or maybe it’s because from a young age, girls are taught to be the woman they’re meant to become. Boys on the other hand, are encouraged to explore, be wild, and enjoy their youth for as long as possible.
If it wasn’t true would Beyonce have it in the intro of one of her songs? Absolutely not.
To you, the young woman reading this looking for guidance online: you are enough. You have enough time. You are not expected to have it all so soon. Don’t allow these precious and joyous youthful years pass you by – focus on your ambitions, your family, and the friends of yours who genuinely have your best interest at heart. There is nothing you can’t achieve when you invest in yourself and surround yourself with good people. I learned about the importance of enjoying where I’m at in my life, and you can too.