Being twenty two, I am now a fully fledged woman in my terrible twenties. I wouldn’t call them that though, maybe I am jumping the gun a tiny bit haha; minus the mortgage, babies, and marriage. You get the idea :) I am having the best time ever, turning twenty two changed the game for me and I feel like life is worth living again lol!
Life has been so good recently, my little heart can’t take it <3 When I wrote my last blog, I set myself goals for this year based on how I want to improve as a person and the way in which I portray myself overall, whether that is with friends or family, even total strangers. I was set on discovering the best version of myself and I truly believe I am her. The amount of people who said I have the ‘purest soul’ on my birthday is crazy, I could have cried with just how lovely some of the messages were, even telling me I’m a role model for younger girls. My head cannot get any larger hahaha! My social life has been the most active it has been in years, I’ve made so many plans with my girls and even gone as far to make new friends. A few girls who read my blogs reached out to meet up and now I’ve expanded the list of friends I can rant to about anything and everything. Making friends is hard in general however, making friends in your twenties is an extreme sport haha. If any of you ever feel lonely or just want a friend to go out dancing with (bring out my inner Julia Stiles) you are always welcome to ask me. The girl I was last year wouldn’t even leave the house without having a breakdown, now you can’t keep me indoors lol!
My confidence has skyrocketed, if you saw the way I dance in the club you would die hahaha! I’m bumping all over the place, really embracing the 90s club vibe, I’m bringing out combos I never even knew I had in me. I remember reading a quote somewhere that you should walk into any room as if you are the baddest in there, granted this may be difficult as we don’t all wake up looking like Kim Kardashian however, I promise it does work. I’ve been convincing myself I look like her for weeks now, planning my outfits as if I’m taking centre stage at the Met Gala this year. Imagine me and Kylie side by side hahaha! Being a woman in your early twenties means the dreaded ‘second puberty’, when your body grows out of the teenage body you had before and you start growing lumps, bumps and you’ve got a tummy. Gone are the days of a flat stomach and size 4 jeans, browsing the aisles of Zara’s kid section, trying to find clothes to fit my petite frame. Now I’m lucky if I can find a pair of jeans that cover my little pony legs. It’s a struggle for my 5’2 self :)
Last year, I got into such a bad place with my weight, I was so critical of myself and didn’t reassure myself just how beautiful I am. I was given my PCOS diagnosis last summer and this put so many things into perspective for me. My weight gain wasn’t because of how many McCrispy’s I ate or how many calories I consumed at dinner. I just needed to give myself that boost to work against the problem and the reason my body was experiencing these changes. Major mood swings, acne, bloated tummy, these are just a small fraction of the symptoms I had to navigate all at one time. PCOS girlies I feel you! I have worked tirelessly to achieve the results I want for not just my body but, my mental wellbeing and my outlook on life. My YouTube was filled with endless hours of Pilates workouts, Daisy Keech, and so much cardio training you might as well call me Mo Farah x It’s so important to become a better you for you because the number on the waistband of your jeans will never quite equate to the number of people who love and adore you. Mentally, physically, everything in between, I feel a million dollars <3
Navigating your twenties often means you watch your friends progress to different stages of their lives. One friend might have a child, one might be travelling the world, and you might just be enjoying the now. That is more than okay, sometimes we feel like we have to be millionaires within the next year, we need to retire our parents next month and get on the property ladder… like tomorrow? Your life isn’t going to look like anybody else’s, we might experience similar scenarios however, you are acting as a person with your own individual goals, feelings and most importantly, you are going at the pace you feel comfortable with. We are expected to know exactly what we want to do at any given time, whether that be in your career or just simply deciding, it is impossible to live your life like that. My life was so different a year ago to what it is now, I don’t feel that I’m doing enough most days then when I reflect back, I have achieved so much for myself. We must celebrate the small wins to really appreciate the life changing wins, your time will come and when it does, you’ll be so happy it didn’t happen when you wanted it too. Be happy for others, keep striving for it and embrace it all when it comes <3
One thing I have learnt to love, is being in the comfort of me. I don’t need a boyfriend, a situationship or someone to fill a void. I feel 100% comfortable with spending time with myself, sometimes it does get lonely when my friends are all loved up however, I’m adamant I will not (mark my words lol) ever settle just because. My life doesn’t revolve around boys and whether they like me or trying to decipher what their message means and then letting it affect my whole entire day. I'm actually going on dates now and I have my first one this weekend so wish me luck (he has been fully screened haha). When the time is right, I know I will enjoy it and I can give myself to that person fully. A fresh mindset with no previous baggage haha :) When I tried to pursue something last time, my brain was all scrambled and I found myself becoming the person I had tried not to become. If you like someone, you should definitely tell them, life is too short to regret missed opportunities or wonder if he would have liked you back. It’s not kind to mess with someone feeling and often, we lose good people because we are scared of a little emotion, grow up Chlo lol! Feel everything and anything, however it comes <3
Being in your twenties shouldn’t be scary or terrible, in fact it should be the total opposite! You should shift your outlook from why is life like this to I’m so lucky to have a life like this. You don’t have to worry about that spot on your chin or the shaving rash on your legs, worry about booking trips with your friends, falling in love, experiencing new things and being unapologetically yourself. Make silly decisions, get things wrong, even dye your hair if you have too, do all the things that worry you (nothing illegal or too dangerous pls)!
Entering your twenties isn’t scary, it’s a new era for you and a chance to have fun, just ignore the serious adult problems like saving, politics and investing. They are still there and I’m working on it but sometimes it’s worth getting brain fog now and again.
I'm really in my soft and quiet girl era <3