Don’t Let Your Youth Pass You By

Today is the oldest you’ve ever been, and the youngest you’ll ever be again. ― Eleanor Roosevelt. If you knew me, you’d know that I’m a homebody. My bedtime is 11pm; my eyelids just seem to give up on me around that time lol. During my college years, you couldn’t get me in the bed before 4am. Even if I was just sitting up in bed watching tv. One of my best friends gave me the nickname “Vamp”. It was short for Vampire because I was always up. You could call me last minute and I would find some clothes and head out with you. Me doing that now…Ha!…null and void. From 21-23 years of age, I don’t know what happened. I got so consumed in my work and making money…and work! I was always trying to put my best foot forward. I would go above and beyond. I guess I was “pounding the pavement”, trying to earn a name, a reputation. I’ve never worked in corporate, but being an independent contractor/freelancer/self-employed isn’t always the easiest. But if you’re good at what you do, your work will speak for itself and work comes easier, word-or-mouth is a powerful tool. Well…I started getting burned out. I had to step back and realize that these companies don’t care about you, just go in, do your job, get your check and get out…they won’t notice the difference 90% of the time anyway if you go above and beyond. So that’s what I did, I said I was going to get back into traveling; take some time off for me. As I was on my way to becoming 24, I told myself that in the year of 2015, I would go somewhere I’ve never been (especially within the States) once a month. We were doing our financial fast at church that we do every January. I realized that I had more money than I thought if I would just stop shopping every week! So I did, and I saw myself slowly falling in love with traveling. I even managed to get two international trips in that year, with one being my first sabbatical. In 2016, I didn’t have anything else planned but another sabbatical. But let me tell you this, I felt even more at peace. I didn’t feel like I had to deal with the hustle and bustle of only thinking about working, making money and paying bills. I mean, life is more than that right…your youth is more than that…right!? So at 25, during my 2016 summer sabbatical, I caught myself saying “Yes” rather than always “No” when I was invited out to things. It became interesting, it became intriguing, it became…a little fun. Not that my life isn’t already fun, but it was different from your everyday norm. I took the “Yes” with me back to the States and have been doing things I normally wouldn’t do. People tend to think that I don’t have time for them, that I’m always gone, that I’m unreachable, but I’m not. I wanted to change that perception of me. I started to feel like some people didn’t think I liked them…that I even hated them; cold towards them. People would be so hesitant to ask me to gatherings. I’m happy to say that I have been to more gatherings with co-workers, friends, school associates, people I’ve recently met, dates…I mean like everything. Well, everything except joining them at clubs, you won’t catch me at a club; those days ended years ago lol. I say that to remind not only myself, but you as well…don’t let your youth pass you by. Have fun…become stiff in your 30s…20s is the now. Enjoy the now.