Chill, Life Doesn't End at 30!

If it doesn't, then why are you rushing? Seriously though, what’s with all the haste? Feeling peer-pressured over the 30s milestone, huh?

To all the traditional path-takers in life out there, get your ticking clock off my ears; it gives me headache. Let me do me at my own speed, even if that means staring at a blank page as you check off the final “accomplishment” in your bucket list.

I don’t compare myself to you, seeing that no two individuals and their upbringing are the same. In our twenty-somethings, most of us, young adults, are thrown into the post-grad arena that brims with prospects and opportunities.

Or so we’re told.

“Follow your dreams”, they said.

“The sky is your limit”, they said.

Umm... not quite!

An overriding stress to achieve specific goals by a certain age seems to be installed on the hard disk drive of our brains from the day we're born. Try to defy it and next thing you know, you're shoved to the margins of society labelled as the “failed” or the “odd” one.

We want to be the brave ones, those who have locked their “Imposter Syndrome” monsters back to their cages and set out to dissolve the much-unnecessary stress.

I'm not saying that setting goals isn’t worthwhile (it definitely is). Oddly enough though, you may be dead set on becoming a top-performing and highly-paid CEO, but this takes a bit longer to materialise; or things take an unexpected twist and you catch yourself on a detour, shifting priorities — that’s fine.

From finding the “right” partner to being self-sufficient and paying off your student loan(s), scroll down for my collection of six (6) things you don’t need to sweat about quite yet.

Roaming across the world

You haven’t caught a glimpse of the Northern Lights or hiked to Machu Picchu yet? That’s OK!

Don’t get me wrong, travelling can be a life-shifting experience: it broadens your horizons to new cultures, spectacular sights, and diverse people. All well and good, but it's about time I gave my daydreamers a reality check beyond the Instagram squares of the travel blogging accounts they follow: travelling can also be costly and anxiety-inducing.

Rightly stated by numbers in stats, social media is a champion at showcasing all the fancy upsides of an elite lifestyle —while tucking away any potential downsides and grim unknowns.

Don’t run to the altar

As much as you love your family, you can’t help but roll your eyes to the nosy “When will you settle down?”. While Tinder has been a game-changer in dating, the countless hours you spend swiping but landing no matches could be managed way more wisely, don’t you think? Have you considered getting some exercise or sorting out your wardrobe?

If you haven’t met your significant other, the person you will fall goofy-eyed in love with (shoot me), relax — that’s a major decision. Don’t let society’s expectations or your mum's “when I was your age, I already had you” make you fast-track your wedding and/or parenthood plans into something that isn’t ideal for you. That will bring more heartaches and trust-issues along the way...

It’s your prerogative to sit at the throne of your singledom for as much as you like (yes, even to remain childless if you wish), pursuing some deep self-searching in the meantime.

Let go of said “Dream Job”

You might expect that as soon as you toss your mortarboard up into the air with your certificate in hand, senior career roles will fall on your feet. Here is where the “Reality VS Expectation” conflict of the job market hits you. Truth is, the vast majority of graduates jumpstart with entry-level 9-5s and menial tasks, such as printing out stacks of paperwork and fetching coffee for the big boss.

But regardless of where you begin, even at the lowest and greasiest step of the corporate ladder, there’s always space for growth and improvement. Accessing the workplace you yearn for requires plenty of ass-busting — but remember to stay humble in the process.

Get past the goal of owning property

Like, scrape that off altogether: it's near-impossible to get a foot on the property threshold these days. The cost of living has soared so much in recent years that homeownership arrives at a hefty price, one which is out of grasp to many millennials.

The grand, old age of 30 may be edging in view and you’re still renting, but rest assured! You’re not alone. Of course, the scenario of buying a house won’t remain a utopia. But until it comes into being, enjoy the situation of sharing or solo living while you have it before you get bound to mortgage payments, council taxes, car insurance, and/or the married-with-kids commitment...

Meal-prepping

Your knife skills may not exceed the toasting of bread (believe it or not, it takes an expert to know how many minutes give the best crunch and golden-brown hue to your slice; as Jamie Oliver has it, toast is never just a toast!). But if cooking isn’t your forte, don’t beat yourself up about it.

Knowing the basics is a handy asset to have, but don’t feel like you must host three-course gourmet parties for your loved ones every other day. You’ve got a lifetime ahead to uplift your can-do attitude and hone the craft of deftly chopping onions rings.

Fake it until you make it!

The good news is that nobody actually knows the heck they’re doing—particularly in their 20s. Not that it's a throwaway decade, but it’s not a marathon either. 20, 30, 40 and so forth are merely numbers.

This may ring as a “cliché” or “cheesy” alert, but age is what you make it. For this reason, engage in some careful introspection to figure out what you truly, truly want in life and gradually push yourself towards it. No other is on-board and in charge of your life but you.

And if things don’t go by plan as such, don’t feel disheartened. Your life floats at the exact pace is supposed to. Events you'd have gladly smashed fast-forward or rewind (depending on their bitter or sweet taste) have moulded you to the person you are today, and to that you'll be tomorrow (thank me later). That doesn’t mean that life begins by the time you hit a certain age, body type, or intellectual and social rank. It has been happening from the moment you drew your first breath.

So, consume your days, activities, interactions, and encounters to the very last bite (do I qualify as a cliché specialist already?) After all, if you have everything sorted by the fourth decade of your time on Earth, what’s there to live for from that point onwards? Your life journey (I do cringe when applying the word in a different context other than the M25 motorway) is not linear: it’s not about getting from point A to point B in a straight line, but about what happens in-between.

Homer teaches us that is not so much Odyssey's destination, Ithaca, which matters as the adventures he had until he reached it. Then, there's no point in limiting yourself by walking the prescribed path others forcibly try to guide you through. Rather, forge your own pathway and tread it gracefully, with your chin high up! And don't forget to enjoy the ride; it's too damn short.

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