Yesterday was my 23rd birthday, and I can’t help but think my life is not where I thought it would be.

Here’s a short post I made on X to demonstrate my point-

“I’m officially 23!

Today is my 23rd birthday.

Here’s where I thought I’d be when I was little versus here’s where I am-

I thought I’d be tall (everyone told me I would be).

I’m a generous 5’3 and ¾.

I thought I’d be in love and be in a romantic relationship.

I’m actually single.

I thought I’d have a job.

I’m actually building a writing business.

I thought I’d be living on my own.

I’m actually living with my parents.

I thought I’d have lots of friends.

I actually only have one. Maybe.

By all accounts, I’d be considered a failure, especially to my younger self.

But I don’t feel like one.

I’m very happy and quite satisfied with where I’m at in life.

It’s certainly not where I’d thought I would be at 23. Especially not this time last year (I was living in an apartment by myself, in a different state than my family, working my 9–5, and building a life of my own).

Life truly is full of surprises. You never know what opportunities are going to come your way. People will constantly walk in and out of your life.

Life is in constant flux, for the better.

I can’t even imagine what year 24 is going to bring, but I’m excited.

Let’s do it!”

This past year of my life has been one of the craziest years.

I moved to a new state and moved back to my hometown within a year.

I started my first 9–5 and quit my first 9–5 within a year.

I was in a relationship, and the relationship ended within the year.

So many beginnings and so many endings, in what simultaneously feels like the longest and shortest year of my life.

This past year has also been the year I’ve learned most about myself. At no other point in my life have I spent so much time with myself as this past year, not even during COVID when everything was in lockdown.

I spent many nights alone in my apartment and many weekends not talking to another soul. I had to learn to become my own best friend, my cheerleader, my rock, my companion.

I thought a lot about my past and my future. Trying to understand why I am the way that I am and how I get to who I want to be.

This is also the year that I’ve battled the most with my mental health. I feel like I’ve never cried more in my life, haha.

I pulled myself out of depression and got through various anxiety attacks. I did this all alone for the most part and knew in those moments that I was going to have to be the one to save myself. No one else would or could. No matter how much I wanted them to.

I also had a lot of stuff happen within my family this year. Being states away from them made it hard to fully engage or show my support. I was excluded from important conversations simply because I wasn’t around.

I’ve learned this year that you can hold two opposing truths within yourself and not have to choose one or the other.

I’ve learned that there is no better time to pursue your dreams than right now.

I’ve learned never to take someone’s presence for granted. Never take the day for granted. Never take life for granted.

There’s a lot still that I have to learn. And I’m trying to become a better version of myself each year, no matter the hardships and setbacks I face.

It may feel like sometimes I’ve lost myself or I’m going in the wrong direction or making the wrong decisions, but ultimately I know that I will always find my way.

And you will too.

My life may not be where I thought it would be, but that doesn’t mean it’s any more or less successful, meaningful, or purposeful.

The truth is, we can think about and hypothesize what our lives will be like, but we will never truly know. All you can do is take things day by day and learn to keep pressing forward.

I may not be where I thought I would be, I may not be where others thought I should be, and I may not be where my friends are.

But I’m happy. I feel good about the path that I’m on and I’m making an effort each day to make my dreams come true.

As long as I’m being genuine, kind, and working hard, I think my life will be successful.

But who knows, maybe my opinion will change and I’ll feel differently by this time next year.

I’m excited to see where I will be. I’m excited to see who I will be.

And I’m incredibly pumped to see where we will be, as an awesome community in this small corner of Medium.

Thank you for your support thus far; it really means the world.

Here’s to another year of life!