Turning 25: The Calm, the Chaos, and the Fully Frontal Lobe
Here’s the thing about turning 25: it didn’t break me. But it did look me in the eye, whisper “do more,” and then gently encourage me to lie down.
I thought 25 would come with a dramatic identity shift, a sudden knowing. Instead, it’s been quieter. More like a background hum of urgency—like there’s something I should be doing, even if I’m not entirely sure what.
It’s not a crisis. It’s just... mildly existential.
The Vaguely Urgent Era™
At 25, everything feels slightly more important than it used to. Not in a panic-y way, but like:
If I want to get married by 30, I should probably meet someone… like, yesterday?
How am I already scheduling things for July?
How much should I start saving up for a house?
It’s that weird in-between where you're still young, but you also start counting backwards from 30 like it's a deadline. There’s a lot of quiet math happening in the background—life timelines, emotional progress reports, and “should I be further along?” kind of thoughts.
Brain: Do More
Body: Lie Down
This is the most noticeable shift. One second I’m riding a post-Pilates high, color-coding my calendar and feeling unstoppable. The next, I’m horizontal with a candle lit, pretending I’m fine while overthinking one mildly annoying text.
I want to be impressive—but also peaceful. I want to achieve things—but also opt out of hustle culture entirely. It’s giving girlboss rebrand with boundaries.
The Frontal Lobe Is Lobe-ing
I genuinely feel my brain changing in real time. I now:
Say no with less guilt (eh… still working on it)
Know when I need to rest vs. when I’m just being avoidant
Sense weird energy and trust myself enough to not react or walk away
Do Pilates four times a week and feel genuinely better for it (Endorphins? Routine? Main character energy? Yes.)
It’s not that I have it all figured out—but I spiral less. I pause more. I give myself grace. The overthinking is still there, but she’s quieter now. Like, still wearing headphones—but the volume’s turned down.
Life’s Still A Lot, But So Am I
There are still days where I feel like I’m winging it. But at 25, I’m learning that "figuring it out" isn’t some grand reveal—it’s a slow build. It’s less about control and more about clarity. Less panic, more presence.
Because maybe that’s the point: You’re not reinventing yourself—you’re just becoming more of who you already are.
