Why being single was the greatest blessing of 2015

"Our twenties are our selfish years." As popular of a quote as this is, I feel as though it's true meaning isn't well understood. Talking with some of my peers, it seems that it is a common misconception that we are going to be living the high life in our twenties, which couldn't be further from the truth.

Selfish means focusing on you. Making decisions and choices for you. We all want to live the high life, but how do we do that without taking the steps to get there?  My question is this- How can you do this when you're already tied down to someone? How can you focus on you, when you've already agreed to selflessly give yourself to someone else? I'm not saying it's impossible, but I know it has to be pretty damn hard. I know, because I tried.

We live in a society preoccupied with stereotypes, clichés, and deadlines. I too, fell victim to it. But guess what? I've decided to be a rebel. I've decided to say no, to go outside the norm. I'm 24 years old, I don't know who I am yet. I don't know what I'm doing with my life yet. If I don't know the answers to my own questions, how am I expected to try and figure it out with someone else?

"Soul mate", "Better half", "You are my world". Some other popular quotes that have consumed my generation. While some are drowning in it, I've chosen to swim from it. Again I say, I'm 24, I don't want someone else to be my world; that sounds pretty lonely and boring to me. Instead, I want to go explore the world, quite literally and figuratively. I don't have a better half, because I am not a half. I don't need someone to make me complete. I am a whole, independent woman. I am not searching for a soulmate, I am searching for the next big step in my life and in my career. By finally just focusing on me, I've had the chance to make some big changes and take some huge steps to get to where I want to be.


I've delayed writing this post because I was hesitant to write it. But I thought, why be ashamed of life lessons? Why not be proud of what you've been through? After all, it's gotten you to where you are. To think I've gotten this far, and I've got the whole second half of my twenties to continue living selfishly. So to that, I look life in the face and say, "Hit me with your best shot."