my voice
by Ayesha IrfanFrom a distance, life in your 20s looks beautiful. You imagine freedom with friends, a dream job, traveling the world, falling in love… It feels like your life is about to begin. But the moment you step into your 20s, everything looks completely different from what you expected. Reality hits you hard. Some are exhausted from studies and uncertain careers. Others are weighed down by family pressure, constantly hearing questions like, ‘What are you doing with your life?’ ‘When will you settle down?’ ‘When will you get a real job?’
Some are running out of money, others are mentally drained. You look around and see everyone moving ahead – friends are graduating, getting engaged, starting jobs, traveling the world. You start feeling left behind. You smile, but you’re not truly happy. Deep inside, you’re confused, broken, trying to hold yourself together. You cry at night – sometimes for no reason at all.
You feel like you’re stuck in a race, constantly running but not knowing where you’re going. You’re tired, but you don’t know how to stop. You’re just running… because everyone else is running. It feels like you’ve been trapped – just like a mouse lured by cheese, only to find itself caught.
But listen to me carefully: You are not late. Just because someone else found success earlier doesn’t mean you’re behind. Everyone has their own clock. Some achieve their dreams at 20, some at 30, and some even later. Life is not a competition. There’s no deadline.
Your 20s are not meant to be perfect – they’re meant to be real. You’ll fail, you’ll fall, you’ll learn, you’ll grow. You’ll lose people, and find yourself. You’ll break down, and build yourself back up. So don’t rush through it. Don’t compare your journey with someone else’s highlight reel.
Take your time. Make mistakes. Heal. Evolve. This is not just a race – it’s your journey. And you are exactly where you’re meant to be.