This Is Why It’s Perfectly Okay To Be Selfish In Your 20’s

As an independent 23-year-old, I absolutely loathe people telling me I’m too selfish. Because to me, I don’t see it as selfish. I see it as exploring how to become my adult-self. And regardless, that is exactly what your twenties are for.

Your twenties are the prime time to soak up the selfishness and here’s why:

1. You essentially have no responsibilities outside yourself.

Yes, you might have a job, family, relationships, etc. But do you have a kid? Probably not. A mortgage? Probably not. An entire company working under you? Probably not (but eff you kindly if you do). So yeah, you should absolutely be selfish. Your income is for you. Your time is for you. This is the time of your life to totally focus on you.

2. People or activities aren’t always worth your time.

You’re an adult now, and believe it or not, you don’t have to do things you don’t want to. Stop wasting time on people or things that aren’t interesting to you. If a person isn’t worth your time or energy, you don’t have to give them your time or energy. It’s completely okay to rearrange your life to best reflect your own needs.

3. You’re independent.

Or at least you should be. You have a lot of your own things and do a lot of your own things – and that’s totally okay. You can go to work by yourself, go to lunch by yourself, go to a movie by yourself, get a drink by yourself. Doing things alone is completely fine and really good for you. The most important relationship you can have is the one with yourself, and you should spend time ensuring that.

This should really be the time that you are exploring every inch of the world and your life. Hone in on your potential career. Focus on your job and excel at it. Engage in experiences that shape you as a person. Go out to bars, restaurants, show, museums, etc. Soak up all that there is to offer. All of these experiences will shape and often change your outlook and wants in life. And that’s what your twenties are for.