Setting It All Up

The last few weeks have been spent, exploring topics such as: my future, dating, and wellness. We discussed the good, the bad, and the ugly; while exploring the biggest challenges that us 20 somethings currently face.

As some of you may remember, my first blog post called “It’s a Set Up” was about being told how great your 20s will be, only to realize that when you get there, it was a total set up.

Instead of focusing on feeling like my current life has been a “set up”, within the last few months I have really been taking steps towards “setting it all up” when it comes to making the rest of my 20s a success. For example, my days as a student are practically over and my goal is to become a young working professional. So I have really tried recently to make this goal a success by looking and acting the part.

Lushwana looking and acting like a young working professional. Source: Lushwana Anderson-Stewart

Here is my guide on how to set up your 20s for success:

Speak your goals into existence: If you say what you want out loud enough times, odds are either your actions will start to align or that good energy your putting out into the atmosphere will come back to work in your favour one day.
Believe in yourself: Believing in yourself is the #1 foundation to success. If you don’t believe in yourself first, then who else will?
Explore & Be Optimistic: As mentioned countless times before, your 20s is a time of trying experience new without any hesitant. Open up your mind to new learning to foster your growth and success

If you only takeaway one thing from this post, my hopes are that you will remember that everything you experience in your 20s, whether good or bad, is actually setting you up to build and improve the rest of your life. So be sure to welcome all of these experiences with open arms.

I’ve really had an amazing time on this journey with all of you thus far. I will be taking a little break from blogging to jumpstart my professional career but I hope to be back very soon to continue this journey of figuring out the rest of our 20s together. Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts and experiences unapologetically and for giving me a sense of relief, that I am not alone.

“Twenty is for you. Twenty is for growth.
Your 20s are for the pursuit of a tomorrow that is better than today”

~Judge Lynn

Until next time.

~Miss Twenty Something

What are some ways that you set up your 20s for success? What are some topics you would like to see me write on in the future? Please leave a message in the comment section below.

Me Time

When can you last remember actually spending time alone?

If you took a little long to come up with an answer or didn’t have an answer at all then this is the perfect post for you.

I truly believe that your 20s is a time to work on your personal growth, in hopes of becoming your best self. As important as it is to be a social butterfly and surround yourself with good company, a significant part of wellness is taking the time to just unwind alone.

Here are four tips for unwinding alone:

Turn down the lights: Dimming your lights will help to set the perfect ambiance for relaxation.
Smell is everything: Light a candle or diffuse some oils, to provide a calm atmosphere.
Cuddle Something: Whether it is a dog or a body pillow, find something to cuddle because coziness takes unwinding alone to the text level.
Put your phone on do not disturb: The important part of unwinding alone is actually being alone. So put your phone on do not disturb to avoid any distractions.

Lushwana’s iPhone in “Do Not Disturb” mode. Source: Lushwana Anderson-Stewart

In one of my previous posts entitled: The Art of Balancing Life, I expressed that it is important to “treat yo self” and having a solo night is another perfect way to do just that.

Here are three ideas for a solo dolo night:

Pamper Yourself: Treating yourself to a personal spa night will do wonders for your stress level. Ideas include a face mask and a bubble bath. I really recommend trying a Lush bath bomb (it will change your life).
Read a book or watch a movie: Reading for fun is a foreign concept for 20 year olds (especially college students), so if you’re a reader then take the night to invest in a dreamy romance novel or a mind-racing mystery novel. Reading not your thing? Have a movie marathon.
Home-cooked meal: Making a good old home-cooked dinner is a perfect way to spend your night alone. I often love to make myself a meal that I usually never have time to make and I top it off with a glass of wine which is a great addition to pull the meal together.

Home-cooked lasagna for dinner. Source: Lushwana Anderson-Stewart

The thought of being alone may make you feel uncomfortable or afraid. But I would really like to encourage you to just spend a night alone, doing something fun that you enjoy and never really have time to do otherwise. The mental and physical benefits will be so apparent that you’ll find yourself doing it a lot more than you thought you ever would.

Check our my friend Trevor’s blog called DeHaan Solo, which is all about guide to enjoying the solo life.

~Miss Twenty Something

What are some ways you unwind alone? Ever had a solo night? If so, how did you spend it? Feel free to share with me in the comments below.

20 Things We Should All Do in our 20s

Your 20s is a time to try new things, and have fun before the responsibilities of life completely begin to take over. With that said, my friends on Instagram have helped me craft a list of 20 things that everyone should do in their 20s. Maybe you’ll add one or two things from the list below to your own bucket-list. Check it out!

The Ultimate 20 Something Bucket-List:

1. Learn how to love yourself: Start a journal, take yourself out to dinner or simply give yourself a compliment. Spend your 20s falling in love with yourself.

2. Go on a friend-cation: Nothing will compare to going on a spontaneous vacation with your closest friends. Suggestions: road trip or a girls’ trip.

Road trip with the guys. Source: Giphy

3. Learn a new language : This can be fun and also super useful if you plan on travelling. As you get older, it is harder to learn a new language so why wait? Do it right now. Buena suerte.

4. Apply for your dream job

5. Binge watch a Netflix series: Choose a show that you have put off watching and get to it! Suggestions: Friends, How to Get Away with Murder, and Riverdale.

Binge watching Netflix. Source: Giphy

6. Do something you’ve always wanted to do, despite what others say: Get a tattoo or quit your minimum wage job that makes you miserable. Always remember, do what makes YOU happy and never settle for less.

7. Take a class: Take a class in something you’ve never tried before. If you absolutely hate it, well now you know, but if you love it, you have found a new hobby. Suggestions: A yoga class, an art-class, or a kick-boxing class.

Yoga class. Source: Giphy

8. Pick a cause and be passionate about it

9. Attend a multi-day/weekend music festival: Spending days away from responsibility, relaxing, and listening to good music? Why wouldn’t you want to do this in your 20s? Suggestions: Way-home, Oshega, or Coachella

Coachella 2015. Source: Giphy

10. Trace your family tree: There is no history more interesting than your own. Figure out who your ancestors were and how they impacted the world and your own life.

11. Date someone who isn’t your “type”: Maybe the relationship won’t work out in the end or maybe you’ll meet your future spouse. Maybe you’ll have a great time or a terrible time, but you will learn and grow from the experience. Suggestion: Go on a blind date

Blind date. Source: Giphy

12. Make a time capsule for yourself

13. Take a risk: Odds are once you get older you won’t be as willing to do something crazy, so get it over with now. Suggestions: Bungee jumping or skydiving.

Skydiving. Source: Giphy

14. Run a marathon: Not all of us can be Usain Bolt, but pushing yourself physically is good for your body and soul.

Running a marathon. Source: Giphy

15. Pull an all-nighter for fun (And not to finish an essay or a school assignment).

16. Learn to cook: You might not be the next Gordon Ramsey or Martha Stewart, but knowing how to whip up a good meal is critical to your everyday life.

Learning to cook. Source: Giphy

17. Discover something new about yourself: Your 20’s are a time of personal growth. Make it a goal to learn more about yourself and who you really are.

18. Move to a new city: Your 20s are the perfect time to find new cities to immerse yourself into, to see if you could build a life there. Suggestions: NYC or LA.

Walking the streets of New York City. Source: Giphy

19. Backpack around the world independently

Backpacking solo dolo. Source: Tumblr

20. Find love: Your 20s is definitely a time in your life to meet new people and experience the kind of passionate, crazy love that makes your head spin. Let love in and enjoy every minute of it because nothing beats the feeling of being in love with someone who feels the same way.

Couple passionately in love. Source: Giphy

~Miss Twenty Something

What’s on your own personal bucket-list?

It’s a Set Up!

Photo of Lushwana Anderson-Stewart Source: Lushwana

Have you ever been told how great your 20s will be? That it will be the best time of your life? Well I’m here to tell you it’s a setup. Yes, it’s me! Miss Twenty Something.

If you have reached your 20s by now, you have probably realized just how difficult the years to come will actually be. Everyone always brags about being in your 20s but no one actually tells you about the challenges that you will face. Society paints a picture that you will be financially prospering, travel the world, find the love of your life, and maybe even get married and start a family. And as great as that all sounds that is definitely not the case for me thus far and that may not be the case for everyone. But I am here to tell you that it’s okay.

My name is Lushwana Anderson-Stewart and I am a 22-year-old graduate student still trying to figure this whole life thing out. If you’re like me and are currently in your 20s feeling lost or confused, then you have come to the right place. I have created an open space where you can feel reassured, comfortable, and where you can hopefully relate to my experiences as a 20 something. I hope every post gives you a sense of relief that you are not alone and inspires you to take your life into your own hands.

We will discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly. I assure you, there are no topics that are off limits. So get ready to ask questions, self-reflect, and gain advice and tips on everything from fashion and beauty, to dating, and even finding your career. I promise you, we will figure this out together. Let the journey begin.

~Miss Twenty Something

What topics are you most excited to talk about? Please comment below.