There’s a strange kind of grief in realizing that this version of you — the one right now, is temporary. You’ll never be this exact age again. You’ll never think exactly the same way. Your body, your chaos, your cravings, your heartbreak, your weird little quirks and all the glorious dysfunction you’re carrying around today? It’s fleeting. And honestly? That’s liberating af.

So what are you waiting for?

Seriously. Try the damn thing. Make the mistake. Order something weird off the menu. Sign up for the class you’re scared of. Text first. Kiss someone you’ll probably never see again and don’t overthink it. Skip work and go read a book by the lake like your life depends on it. Because maybe it does.

We spend way too much time trying to curate some pristine, aesthetic version of ourselves that’s good on paper but deeply miserable in real life. And for what? So we can die with a clean résumé and a cluttered soul?

Hard pass.

You’re allowed to not have it all figured out. You’re allowed to change your mind. You’re allowed to fuck it all up and try again. You’re even allowed to be happy! Wildly, irresponsibly, unapologetically happy, even if no one else gets it…because they don’t have to get it!

Take your mental health seriously. Take your joy seriously. Take your time seriously. But don’t take everything so seriously. None of us are making it out of this alive anyway, so you might as well give yourself a little grace while you’re here. Laugh too hard. Love too fast. Be cringe. Be bold. Be weird. Be you.

Because one day, you’ll look back and realize: THIS was the moment. This was the era. This was the version of you that paved the way for everything else.

So don’t waste it playing small.