Reels or Reality? Don’t compare your real life to someone else’s edited version

Navigating Your 20s: Embracing Change and Ignoring the Pressure to Have It All Together

Your 20s are often painted as this magical decade where everything falls into place. You’re told it’s the time to start your dream career, find the love of your life, and set the foundation for the rest of your existence. But for most of us, it feels like a whirlwind of confusion, self-doubt, and anxiety, leaving you wondering why everyone else seems to have their life figured out except you.

The truth is, nobody has it all together—and that’s okay.

The Pressure to Have It All Figured Out

From the moment we leave school, we’re expected to transition seamlessly into adulthood. We spend 11 years in primary and secondary education, many of us go straight to university, and then—without a pause to catch our breath—society expects us to have a plan. A five-year plan, a ten-year plan, all perfectly aligned with the career, home, and family you’re supposed to build.

But life isn’t a neatly packaged timeline. Some of us are climbing the corporate ladder, others are married with children, while some are starting from scratch—again. There’s no one path to follow, and every journey is valid.

Social Media: The Highlight Reel

Then there’s social media, where it seems like everyone around you has the perfect job, the perfect relationship, the perfect life. The constant barrage of curated highlight reels makes you feel like you’re behind, like you’ve somehow missed the memo on how to live your 20s the “right” way.

But here’s the reality: we don’t post our worst moments online. We don’t broadcast the days when we feel lost, the rejections, the anxiety attacks, the times we start over. What we see is a filtered version of life, where everyone else seems to be winning, but you don’t see the struggles they face behind closed doors. Don’t compare your real life to someone else’s edited version.

It’s Okay to Change Your Mind

If you’re feeling stuck or unsure, know that it’s normal. It’s okay to change your mind, pivot your career, or decide that the path you thought you wanted isn’t the right one for you. Life is not linear, and starting over is not a failure—it’s a brave choice.

Think about women like Vera Wang, who became a designer at 40, or J.K. Rowling, who didn’t publish her first Harry Potter book until she was 32. Success doesn’t have an expiration date. It comes at different times for different people, and your journey is unfolding exactly as it should.

The Anxiety of the Unknown

A huge part of the pressure in your 20s comes from the anxiety of not knowing what the future holds. You’re constantly torn between the desire to enjoy the present and the fear of making the wrong decisions for your future. What if I choose the wrong career? The wrong relationship? What if I’m wasting my time?

This anxiety is completely natural, but it doesn’t have to control you. Take risks, explore new opportunities, and trust that each experience—whether it succeeds or fails—helps you grow. The present moment is just as important as the future, and life has a way of working out when you’re true to yourself.

Take Ownership of Your Journey

Here’s the most important thing to remember: You’re the only one who has to live with your decisions. So make sure you’re living for yourself, not to meet someone else’s expectations. The people around you might have opinions, but you’re the one walking the path.

Take the risk. Change your mind. Start over if you need to. Your 20s are a time to figure out who you are, what you want, and to embrace the messiness of life. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and that’s the beauty of it.

Final Thoughts: You Are Not Behind

If there’s one message you take from this, it’s this: you are not behind. There is no deadline for success, happiness, or fulfillment. Everyone is on a different journey, and yours is unfolding exactly as it should. Your 20s are about discovering who you are, not meeting societal expectations.

So, let go of the pressure, the comparisons, and the fear of the unknown. Embrace the uncertainty, trust your instincts, and know that you’re exactly where you need to be.