This week I will be leaving the 18-25 age bracket. Yep, 26 it is.
This time last year you might have heard me say something along lines of "This is my last birthday. I'm going to be the perpetual 25 year-old." Well that all changed about 2 weeks into 25 when Tribeza Magazine accidently misprinted my age and made me 26. I haven't decided if I'll be the perpetual 26 year-old yet, however I do know that 25 has been one hell of a year.
Like every other 20-something, I had days where I knew exactly what I was doing with my life, and those days were usually followed by days where I was convinced I was having my 2nd, 3rd, or 4th quarter-life crisis. Somewhere in the middle of all that I had one of the most amazing experiences - dare I say - of my life. I traveled across the world to India and met a different world and different side of myself. I can go on and on about my journey, but there isn't enough room on the internet for those stories. No, it wasn't all EAT PRAY LOVE....but it definitely had it's moments.
Eat. Swagat on Thanksgiving Day.
Pray. On the Ganges River - Varanasi.
Love. Adi and Natasha's wedding in New Delhi.
Plenty more where that came from.
Before this trip, I had been known to take 4 bags and 5 pairs of shoes for a weekend in San Antonio. During this 18 day adventure I carried ONE backpack - there just wasn't room for more and even if there was, who would have carried it? I learned about essentials and necessities, and yes, silk scarves are definitely included. As hard as it was I somehow managed to make it back home to Austin.
Not long after my eye-opening voyage I received a notice on the front door of my south Austin apartment. It was time to renew my lease and rent was going up...up UP. The thought of moving broke my heart, but luckily I found a sweet little spot with exactly what I needed - and ONLY what I needed. Again, I had to look at what I had and evaluate what I could take with me. I picked the essentials and everything else was donated in some way.
It wasn't until I sat down last week and reflected on my 25th year that I realized the trend I was following: Simplify, trim the fat, take only what you need.
I did this on my trip across the world, on my move across Austin, and in other areas of my life without even realizing it. Walk, ride a bike, carpool, take only the essentials from toothpaste and contact solution to relationships and emotions. We've all heard the "reasons, seasons, lifetime" saying in regard to people in our lives. I know I don't know everything, but I feel good about the purposes of the people in my life. Whether it's only for a reason, one season, or the rest of my life each of them are part of my essentials.
It took me a while to realize that there is only one thing in this world I can control - myself. With that comes my emotions. I'm a work in progress, and that fat is being trimmed as well. Anger, sadness, fear, and distrust - hit the road because you will not be carried into 26. There's just no room.
I have a million questions still, but I realize they'll just have to answer themselves eventually. If 26 is anything like 25 I'd be a lucky gal, but if it's not I'm sure I'll be just fine. It's a big world, but it's not my world - I just have to decide what I'm taking with me.
~A Charlie Gal
Before this trip, I had been known to take 4 bags and 5 pairs of shoes for a weekend in San Antonio. During this 18 day adventure I carried ONE backpack - there just wasn't room for more and even if there was, who would have carried it? I learned about essentials and necessities, and yes, silk scarves are definitely included. As hard as it was I somehow managed to make it back home to Austin.
Not long after my eye-opening voyage I received a notice on the front door of my south Austin apartment. It was time to renew my lease and rent was going up...up UP. The thought of moving broke my heart, but luckily I found a sweet little spot with exactly what I needed - and ONLY what I needed. Again, I had to look at what I had and evaluate what I could take with me. I picked the essentials and everything else was donated in some way.
It wasn't until I sat down last week and reflected on my 25th year that I realized the trend I was following: Simplify, trim the fat, take only what you need.
I did this on my trip across the world, on my move across Austin, and in other areas of my life without even realizing it. Walk, ride a bike, carpool, take only the essentials from toothpaste and contact solution to relationships and emotions. We've all heard the "reasons, seasons, lifetime" saying in regard to people in our lives. I know I don't know everything, but I feel good about the purposes of the people in my life. Whether it's only for a reason, one season, or the rest of my life each of them are part of my essentials.
It took me a while to realize that there is only one thing in this world I can control - myself. With that comes my emotions. I'm a work in progress, and that fat is being trimmed as well. Anger, sadness, fear, and distrust - hit the road because you will not be carried into 26. There's just no room.
I have a million questions still, but I realize they'll just have to answer themselves eventually. If 26 is anything like 25 I'd be a lucky gal, but if it's not I'm sure I'll be just fine. It's a big world, but it's not my world - I just have to decide what I'm taking with me.
~A Charlie Gal
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