The day I turned 23 I thought to myself- oh shit…two more years until 25. I’m single, I’m not finished with my college degree, and I’m still living at home….am I doomed? People always tell me, “don’t worry, you’re still young. You have plenty of time to figure it out.” But how much “time” do I really have?

You may feel as your accomplishments simply are not good enough because you aren’t exactly where you want to be in life quite yet. When I was 18 years old I told myself that I would like to be married, own my own home, have at least two children, and be set in a high paying career by age 22. I look back and laugh at that allegation because it’s so far off from reality.

In your twenties it might seem like time isn’t on your side anymore..

“Your twenties are your selfish years. It’s a decade to immerse yourself in every thing possible. Be selfish with your time, and all the aspects of you. Tinker with sh*t, travel, explore, love a lot, love a little, and never touch the ground.” — Kyoko Escamilla

Your twenties are meant for making mistakes and experiencing new things in order to figure out what you want and do not want to be a part of your future.

Build up a badass resume.

Find your passion. Take that passion and turn it into a goal and surpass that goal. Every single opportunity you come across, take it. You never know what doors it may open. Invest in things that are going to benefit your future. The future is YOURS to make and nothing is more gratifying than conquering that aspect of life.

Stay close with your family and friends.

They are your biggest fans (besides yourself, of course) and are there to encourage and motivate you to do better. Spend as much time as humanly possible with them. Surrounding yourself with the right people is so important. These are the ones who will be there far after that stupid boy will.

Travel.

I strongly believe that everyone in their 20’s should travel as much as they possibly can. Right now is the time to experience new things and new places. It doesn’t always have to be long distance travels either. Plan a day trip to a beach a few hours from home. Drive to the mountains for a weekend getaway. Get out of your comfort zone and break your usual routine. Experience different aspects of the world other than your hometown. It is such an eye-opener, trust me.

Find new hobbies.

Fill your free time with things you truly enjoy doing. Try new things every chance that you get. It’s is so rewarding to discover new things that you’re good at. New hobbies often lead to new friendships, or even a new romance. Doing things that you relish in doing is good for the mind, body, and soul. It keeps you grounded and distracts your thoughts from becoming negative.

It’s easy for us to have this misleading vision of how our lives “should” be in our twenties. Realize that things will only fall into place when you let them. After doing the 4 things above, a boyfriend, success, and perfect life will not magically appear. Sorry, that’s just the truth. But, if you do them, it is for certain that making sure all of these aspects are in order is a great start to building a promising future for yourself.