BIG GIRL TIME

As I approach 25, I have realized something very important: growing up is honestly just a series of lessons, trial runs, heartbreaks, discoveries, and moments where you realize maybe…just maybe…you did not know everything after all.

And while I still have SO much life left to learn, here are a few “big girl” lessons I’ve picked up before turning 25.

1. Not everyone is against you… but not everyone is for you either

For a long time, I truly believed everyone had alternative motives. I struggled deeply with trust. I convinced myself that nobody actually liked me as much as they claimed they did and that everyone secretly had another agenda.

At the same time though, once I finally allowed myself to trust someone and then they did something I viewed as rude, shady, disrespectful, or mean? Whew. That relationship would be uprooted in my mind immediately. And honestly? Sometimes it really had nothing to do with me.

Sometimes people are just:

• stressed
• overwhelmed
• emotionally immature
• having a bad day
• or handling life poorly

Now let me be clear: discernment is REAL. Everyone should not have unlimited access to you. But I also learned that constantly assuming the worst about people will leave you isolated and emotionally exhausted.

Not everyone is against you. But not everyone is for you either. Learning the difference takes wisdom, time, and healing.

2. Reading the Bible is actually not boring

Listen…trust me LOL.

I used to think:

“Okay sure, the Bible has some interesting stories, but there is no way I’m about to be deeply invested in this.”

BOY WAS I WRONG. Have y’all actually READ some of these stories fully?

Have you read what Aaron and his sons had to do to purify themselves before entering the presence of God as priests? Have you read the full story of Job and just how devastating and torturous his suffering truly was?

Reading Scripture has honestly opened my eyes in such a deep way because this is not just a random storybook. These were real people experiencing:

• grief
• fear
• faith
• betrayal
• temptation
• loss
• hope
• redemption

And somehow it still applies to life right now.

Every time I read, I learn something new. I ask questions constantly. Some passages challenge me, some comfort me, and some completely humble me. I am still learning and definitely not finished, but we are on the right track.

3. What you put in your body actually matters more as you get older

At 24, I can already feel the difference. My alcohol tolerance? DEPLETING. Fresh fruit vs fruit snacks? My body knows. Cheap fast food vs quality protein? Oh trust me…my stomach lets me know the next day.

When you are younger, it can feel like your body just magically bounces back from everything. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized food is truly fuel. The quality of what I consume affects:

• my mood
• my energy
• my digestion
• my skin
• my sleep
• everything honestly

And no, I’m not saying never enjoy yourself. I love a good meal and a little cocktail LOL. But I am learning balance and realizing my body deserves care too.

4. Buying cheap things over and over again does not actually save money

Now let’s be honest…we do NOT need all this stuff. But the things we DO buy and truly use? Sometimes it is worth waiting until you can afford the better quality version.

Because now:

• the shirt is ripping
• the appliance stopped working
• the bag is peeling
• and you have to replace it anyway

I’m not saying go broke trying to look luxurious. Absolutely not.

But I am saying:
sometimes waiting and investing in quality makes more sense than panic-buying something “good enough.”

5. Your parents are probably not your enemy

Now I understand this does not apply to everyone, and I know I have been blessed with loving parents. But MANNNN would they get on my nerves sometimes.

As I’ve gotten older though, I’ve realized something:
they actually do have wisdom on some things you simply do not know yet.

Now they may not always communicate perfectly. They may say things in ways that frustrate you. But try, really try, to hear them sometimes.

Your parents were once young too. They were figuring life out too. And honestly? They still are. They are just older now with more experience under their belt.

6. It is actually okay to not have everything figured out.

This one is HARD for me. Because I always feel like I need a plan. I need to know what is next. I need things to make sense.

But the truth is?
None of us fully know what we are doing. And somehow…life still moves forward.

Your twenties are not meant to be a perfect blueprint. They are trial runs. They are:

• mistakes
• lessons
• pivots
• healing seasons
• restarts
• unexpected opportunities

Does hard work matter? Absolutely.
Does life sometimes suck? Yes.

But we often have a lot more going for us than we think we do.

And honestly? Sometimes becoming a “big girl” is simply learning how to keep going even when you are unsure.

TTYL I love you all!