Navigating my 20s and starting again
I have started my writing journey several times and failed but this time, I will not.
About a month ago, I watched Bel-Air, a spin-off of the popular 90s show- Fresh Prince of Bel-Air- and I resolved to start writing publicly again because of a quote said by Reid, an art curator to Vivian Banks:
There’s never a right time. You just gotta go. If you wait until you think you’re ready, another 15 years might pass you by.
In the show, Vivian Banks stopped painting and kept saying she would return to it but did not till fifteen years had passed. The sad thing is she did not know so much time had passed till it did. She prioritized everything in her life; motherhood and parenting, but her craft became nonexistent.
I hated that scene because I saw myself in it. I stopped writing almost a year ago and kept making excuses; graduation, NYSC, work, but I neglected writing personally. I hated that if I had not watched that scene, I could have spent 15 years talking about writing but not doing it. Honestly, it scared me.
I love writing; it has gotten me through the bad times and made me feel euphoric in the good times. Why take drugs when I have writing? But I have been neglecting the one who was always there, holding my hand through life. I cannot imagine making excuses and not writing for 15 years. It is torture, and the dearth is more painful than torture. It is death.
It can be easy to get sucked into talking about what you will do and planning it to perfection but not executing it. I said I would launch this newsletter in August because it is a very, very important month to me; my maternal grandpa, grandma and uncle’s remembrances are celebrated as well as my anniversary with my boyfriend. Unfortunately, that did not happen. I saw myself in that pattern again; prioritizing other things, waiting for the right time and writing all my ideas on the notes app.
I have also been obsessing about writing the perfect content, but it does not exist. The more I write, the better I will get, so no matter what, I will always cringe at my first writing attempt.
So, this is me waking up and jumpstarting in September because nobody will help me, they can only encourage me, but if I am being realistic, nobody will hold my hand and help me write. I have to do it myself.
Hence, this newsletter.
This newsletter was sparked by a conversation I had with friends last year. We were in our final year, writing our project and worried about the future. But none of us knew we were all anxious about post-grad life until our shared anxiety was brought up. It was an eye-opener; sometimes, we all feel the same way but feel alone because we are not talking about it.
2022 has been an exciting year; I have succeeded and failed, but most importantly, I am striving to improve. I had been so overwhelmed by the failures that I initially wanted to call this newsletter the failing 20s, but as a Nigerian, I firmly believe the tongue is powerful. Failure is part of the journey. Adulting is hard, but I have had wins too. The important thing is I am striving to be better every day. It is a recurring theme for everyone in their 20s; we are all striving to be better.
Our 20s are such a delicate time; people in their 30s wish they had been more serious in their 20s or enjoyed their 20s more. I want both to work as hard as possible and enjoy my twenties to the fullest.
I want to strive in my 20s to thrive in my thirties and lay the foundation for greatness.
The striving 20s will comprise musings, personal stories and interviews from people in their 20s navigating their 20s with the little resources we young Nigerians have. Although life has thrown us curveballs, it will be magical as raw storytelling of us stubbornly surviving will be at its core; L’s, wins, starting and running a business or just interesting perspectives.
I’ll talk about everything relating to our twenties: love, friendships, academics, mental health, finding your passion, work, anything I am learning that can help you, my personal experiences and anything else.
I’ll also share series, movies, animations and anime I watch you might like, the books I read and also businesses that made me smile. I will also share people I follow I think may help in your journey.
Welcome to The Striving 20s, and I hope you enjoy the journey.
Till next week.
i’m so happy i found your page!! i can relate as someone in her 20s as well.
Hi! Just a stranger here who feels deeply seen by your words. Hope to hear from you again soon.💛