“When she was 22, the future looked bright.” – Lily Allen

21 has been a big year for me, full of transitions and opportunities and experiences.

I started a blog,

entered a new relationship,

took on a new leadership role,

learned how to plan a conference,

discovered why I speed on the highway,

stared at the sky,

bought a [new-to-me] car,

created my first Buzzfeed post,

applied for a crazy dream job,

felt anxious over my career direction,

got my dream job,

graduated from college,

moved to Birmingham,

lost old friends,

felt lonely,

made new friends,

and felt an overwhelming amount of anxiety,

among other things.

21 has taught me so many things about myself. I like being comfortable and safe. I love deeply. I have to realign my priorities daily. It’s hard for me to be alone.

This next year, I want to grow. I want to take advantage of being 22 and suck the marrow out of life. I have no idea what I want, and I have no idea where I will be in a year. But, I know that I want to seize opportunity.

For this reason, I want to try 22 things that make me feel uncomfortable. Probably, a lot of these will involve me doing things alone and being okay with it – something I find difficult now.

If you dwell on the past, on what could’ve been, or what should’ve been, you’ll miss out on the beauty of the moments right in front of you. Cheers to 22.