Step away from those opinions... form your own life.

With articles like, “Twenty Things to Do in Your Twenties,” “8 Reasons Why You Should Be Single In Your Twenties,” and the countless others, it’s easy to get caught up. Then log into your favorite social media site and see the pictures of various “friends” and their “glamorous” lives.

Now look at your own life. Chances are after seeing those articles and scrolling through those pictures, you feel pretty inadequate. Why is it that just a few moments surfing the internet can make you feel like your life isn’t being lived to its full potential?

Whether it be social media, the news, internet, or magazines, there is always someone trying to tell us how we should live our lives. People in their twenties are often a major target of this, and it’s just got to stop.

My husband and I started dating when we were 18 years old and have been together ever since. We spent a solid chunk of our dating lives saving money because we knew that we wanted to get married and have a future together. That meant that our lives were INCREDIBLY different from those around us.

We had friends who were single and enjoyed an eventful social life, and others who traveled around the country/world with no regard for the future. It was hard being around all of that. Of course there were moments of weakness that we wanted to blow it all, spend money like it didn’t matter on a pointless night out, or jump on a plane to go on an adventure. There were even the times we felt like we were “wrong” for being young and committed. It was super difficult wanting to have those things and choosing to not succumb to the pressure.

It is so easy to be tricked by the “glamorous” lifestyles. Things you never thought about, are now desires because someone online has it, or some goofy article is telling you how to have a fulfilling life. What a bunch of non-sense.

Look into yourself. What do you truly want? Do you want to fall in love and get married? Then do it! Do you want to travel? Then go ahead. Are you career focused and want to get ahead? Then feel free to achieve. This life was not designed to be a cookie-cutter, one size fits all. We were all created with our own set of goals and desires, no two individuals are alike. So why on Earth does anyone have the right to spread their bogus opinion on what your life should look like in your 20’s?

I am 24 years old, married to the man I have been with since I was 18. We want to have a family someday in the not so distant future. We like to go on day trips with no agenda, just to see what we will stumble across. A fun night for us revolves around good food and lots of laughing. We’ve been able to leave the country and do local vacations. I have a great career that has given me unbelievable flexibility, and in a matter of a few months he will be a lawyer. We have an amazing life!

And get this, it’s not because we chose to follow the advice of an article, or chase the lifestyles of people portrayed online. It’s because we are doing what makes us happy and complete. I invite you to do the same.