Navigating Your Mid-Twenties: The Beauty of Becoming

Dear 22-Year-Old Me,

Hey love, it's me...well, it's *us*, really. 27 has arrived, and it feels like a warm, soft breath after years of running in circles. I want to take a moment to sit down with you, to tell you how much we've grown, how much we've *evolved*—and to remind you of the strength you already carry within you.

I know it feels like you’re always trying to figure it out, always pushing toward something bigger, but don't worry. In time, you'll learn that growth doesn't always need to be so noisy. It's quieter than you think. By the time we reach 27, we will have grounded ourselves in ways that might surprise you now. You won’t feel lost anymore—not because you've figured everything out, but because you’ll learn how to be okay with *not* having it all figured out.

The peace, the calmness you’ll find—it’s not something that just happens. You will have to *choose it* over and over again, each day. Boundaries will become a form of self-respect, a declaration that you love yourself enough to protect your time, your energy, and your peace. People will still test those boundaries, but you’ll stand firm. You will learn that *saying no* doesn’t make you selfish, it makes you wise.

I want to remind you of something you may not believe right now: You are not defined by your circumstances. You don’t have to follow a straight path to get where you need to be. College won’t look traditional for us, but *oh, the lessons* we’ll learn! We’ll walk the untraditional route and still find our way to finish strong. And as we move through grad school, we’ll realize that the degree isn’t the destination—it’s just a chapter. Your real education will come from life, from understanding *yourself* in ways that textbooks can’t teach.

We will lose people along the way, yes. But we’ll also gain friends who nourish our spirit. Relationships will change, and some friendships won’t make it past the seasons of growth we’ll go through. But this isn’t the end—it’s just the beginning of a deeper, more meaningful connection to the people who really matter. You’ll learn how to embrace quality over quantity.

In the years ahead, love will bloom in ways you never thought possible. You'll find not just love in others, but in

yourself. The relationship with God? It’ll deepen in ways that will ground you. Your faith will become the foundation for everything—you're going to discover the beauty of true surrender, of trusting in His plan for you, even when the path seems uncertain. And through that journey, you’ll find your heart, open to love in its most pure and authentic form.

And girl, the business side of things? Trust me—you're about to step into something huge. You’ll use that creative mind of yours, the one that’s always been fascinated by design, analytics, and strategy, to build something that supports and sustains you. You’ll realize that you’re not just dreaming—you’re making it happen. The grind you’re working now will lay the foundation for a future that’s all yours.

But most of all, what you’ll come to understand is that your worth is not tied to what you do, or how many people validate you. It’s simply in *who you are*. You will be enough, always. The uncertainty you feel right now about your purpose will shift into clarity. Not because you’ve discovered everything, but because you’ve learned to embrace the mystery, the process, and the person you are becoming.

So to you, at 22, keep going. You’re on the right path, even if it doesn’t look like what you imagined. Keep loving fiercely, keep setting those boundaries, keep learning, and keep believing that God has something beautiful waiting for you. You're becoming more of yourself every day, and that’s exactly what this world needs.

With all the love we deserve,

27-year-old Us