My 26th Trip Around the Sun
No existential crises this birthday, but many lessons learned (and much tiramisu eaten)
It was my birthday this past weekend! I turned 26, which ended my 26th trip around the sun and my status as a dependent on my mom’s health insurance plan. Exciting!
I’m reaching that point in life where birthdays just feel like another day. Not complaining here, but just observing how different things are now compared to my birthdays as a teen and early 20-something.
Almost every year, I would fly into existential crisis mode, fixating on the fact that I was aging (the horror!) and also that I didn’t know what I was going to *do* with my life. Past birthdays often came with a lot of anxiety.
But this year when I woke up on my birthday, I didn’t have thoughts like that at all. Yes, I’m still aging and don’t entirely know what I’m doing with my life, but I feel more at peace with that every passing year.
When I woke up on my 26th birthday, I was mostly just looking forward to the day ahead. I’d planned to take a day off from freelancing and do some fun things in town.
And it was a lovely day, indeed. I got breakfast at my favorite cafe and then met up with Ryan on his lunch break to go for a walk. Then I got to pop into all my favorite local shops, including one where I bought a beautiful linen dress that’s been on my wishlist for probably six months (!!).
After that I went to the lake to look for ducks — I saw two pied-billed grebes and a bunch of mallards. And then on my way home I stopped by a high-end market that I don’t normally shop at and bought two overpriced chicken pot pies for dinner. (They were delicious, though.)
After work, Ryan came home with a giant tiramisu from a local deli that was sized to feed 12-16 people. It’s a ridiculous amount of cake for two people, but I’m excited to freeze a bunch of slices to eat later. That leftover tiramisu is really gonna slap when it’s zero degrees outside and there’s nothing to do after the holidays.
In the evening I made a few phone calls to friends and family who tried to reach me when I was out doing stuff. And then I tried to respond to all the birthday texts and messages on Instagram that people sent me, but there were so many that I just felt overwhelmed and decided to get to it the next day.
And … that was my birthday. No extreme emotions or deep reflections, though I did manage to write about my birthday in my journal just to have a record of things.
One thing I did find myself thinking about was those lists of life lessons that some people make on social media whenever they enter a new year of life. I genuinely love reading them; it’s fascinating to see what pieces of wisdom shape someone’s perspective and influence their choices.
So, in honor of my 26th, I decided to make a list of my own. Without further ado:
26 things I learned at 26
In no particular order:
Most people you meet IRL will not give a crap about your job. Learn to be interesting in other ways.
Making progress at a snail’s pace still means that you’re making progress.
It’s okay to spend extra money on higher quality things, or things that align with your values. Cheap does not equal good (for you, your fellow humans, or the planet).
Visiting big cities is super fun, but living in a city is just not for me.
A good pair of shoes is worth every penny.
Sour cream and plain Greek yogurt are basically the same thing (at least when it comes to baking).
The jobs everyone thinks are great are usually not that great.
Most of the stuff you want can be bought secondhand.
Fighting with strangers online is never worth it. Ever.
If you think everyone is staring at you because of what you’re wearing, they’re probably not. And if they are, who cares?
The library offers SO much more than books.
It’s okay if your definition of success looks different than everyone else’s.
Saying “I’ll do it someday” and actually doing it are two very different things.
Saving money is important, but so is knowing when and how to spend it.
Reconnecting with old friends can be super awkward, but most of the time it’s worth the effort.
Knowing how to cook a hearty meal from raw ingredients is its own kind of magic.
The most important days of your life probably won’t feel important when they’re happening.
Finding ways to connect with nature can help keep you grounded.
Contrary to what I was taught growing up, video games and TV will not rot your brain. In fact, they might even make you smarter.
Road trips suck when you’re on a rigid schedule.
Learn how to declutter as soon as you live on your own. No one wants to clear mountains of junk out of your apartment/house when you move or eventually die.
There are no slow runners; there are only runners.
The bad things that happen to other people can most definitely happen to you. So can the good things.
Sometimes a conversation requires you to just shut up and listen.
You can have quality friendships as an adult — they just take consistent effort (which is much easier said than done).
Most situations are best approached with curiosity rather than fear.
Whew. That was tougher to write than I thought! I’m sure I missed some things, but I hope what I’ve written here is at least a little inspiring, relatable, etc.
If you made it through the list, leave me a comment with some life advice of your own. I’d love to hear the wise words that have influenced the way you approach the world.