Welcome to Twenties by Design
Hi there and welcome to Twenties by Design! I’m honored that you’re here to embark on this journey with me. Here’s a little background on why I started this, what it’s all about, and what I hope the future will look like.
For years (14 to be exact, and yes, since I was 10 years old in the thick of Blogspot and Tumblr), I’ve wanted to start a blog. I’ve always loved writing, I’ve always loved design and photography, but most of all, I’ve always loved truly getting to know others.
But for these past 14 years, apart from the usual valid excuses of time and school and life, the biggest factor that stopped me from pursuing this passion was my fear of what other people would think. I was (and still am) so scared of being judged or mocked for putting my thoughts out there. I don’t even know if I’m remotely qualified to do so (stay tuned for a discussion about imposter syndrome). I spent most of this past year in a slump, feeling ambitious but unmotivated, ruminative but trapped in my own head.
But then I really reflected on how much I hated being so fearful all the time - I hated psyching myself out and quitting before I even started. I hated how hypocritical I felt - preaching to my friends to pursue their dreams, to not care what others thought, that their real friends would support them, etc. … but not being able to take my own advice. I hated not trusting myself to be there for ME, just like I would be there for anyone else. The few people off whom I bounced the blog idea all supported me, so why didn’t I support myself?
It’s always easier said than done not to let others’ opinions bother you and to take that first step to chase after your passions. At the end of the day, what matters most is what you think of yourself - would you regret it if you didn’t do it? Would you feel proud of yourself if you did?
Twenties by Design was birthed from my mindset shift in 2020. Spending more slow-paced days inside forced me to reflect on not just what I wanted to do with my life, but who I wanted to be. What impact did I want to have on others? How did I want to treat myself? How could I practice my values of creating safe spaces for others, of caring for people whether or not I know them, of encouraging myself and others to always treat everyone with kindness? I’m not saying that starting a blog completely accomplishes any of these, but I do hope that it’s a step in the right direction to spread that positivity to others.
Twenties by Design is also a result of wanting to live a purposeful life - to enjoy every day or at least learn something from it. Not every day is a good one - unfortunately, many of us will have hard days and weeks or even months and years. We can, however, use each day to design a life closer to the one we want to live. That’s the meaning behind Twenties by Design - how can we take small action steps in our daily lives to align more closely with what brings us joy and meaning? It’s about living out the lifestyle we keep telling ourselves we want but struggle to work toward, overcoming the mental blocks that stop us from becoming better than we were yesterday, and focusing on what we can control so we feel ready to face what we can’t.
We’re all just trying to figure out our days one step at a time - clichéd, sure, but true.
For my fellow twenty-somethings, I hope you will find ways to help you navigate these transformational years. I hope this community will help us realize we are not alone - we can turn to each other for guidance, and we can figure it out together.
For those of you not yet twenty, I hope you find something that helps you, and you feel a little better prepared for what might be coming.
For those beyond, I do think a lot of these conversations will continue to play a role in our lives no matter our age.
The topics we can talk about here are limitless, and they are by no means confined to ages 20-29. I just wanted to drive my posts from where I currently am in life. And we’ll do some fun stuff, too! We’ll talk about travel (you know, down the road when it’s safe to travel …), music, books, and more. Whatever you want to talk about, we can make it happen.
**I want to make it extra clear that I am not a licensed therapist or a professional in that vein of any sort - I am just a 24-year-old gal trying to spread some love in the world and learn a lot in the process on how to be a better person.
My promise to you is to be as open, honest, vulnerable, and authentic as I can be. My ask to my readers is to help keep this space safe, inclusive, and empowering. Constructive feedback is always welcome, but let’s keep the space as positive as we can.
I’m so grateful to be in a physical and mental position where I’m able to start this blog and create a space for us to grow and guide each other through the minutia to big decisions of life. I’m looking forward to what we can create together, and I’m looking forward to getting to know all of you.
Please feel free to suggest any topic you want to hear more about or start a conversation about in the comments below, or feel free to email or DM me on Instagram. I’m just here to start the conversation and share my thoughts - the community is really the life of Twenties by Design.
P.S. If there’s anything I can do to make these posts or even the website more accessible, please leave your feedback below or email/DM me. Inclusivity is super important to me, so I’d love to make any adjustments to ensure this content can be accessed by all!