An Open Letter to My 26-Year-Old Self
Hey, 26-year-old me,
So, in a few days, 25 will be gone. Just like that. Another year, another age, another number added to the count. And I don’t even know what I feel about it. It’s not fear — because I know God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind. It’s not regret or that nagging feeling that life is passing me by — because I know that times and seasons are in God’s hands, and when it’s time, He will make it happen.
So, what is this feeling?
It’s strange. It’s like standing at the edge of something big but not knowing what’s on the other side. It’s realizing that I’ve been 24 before, though I can’t even fully remember what 24 felt like. And just as I was settling into 25, it’s already time to let it go. In three days, I will drop this age, pick up another, and keep moving forward — because that’s what time does. It moves forward, whether I’m ready or not.
And maybe that’s it. Maybe this feeling is the weight of knowing that I have to save myself.
I can’t keep waiting for someone to hold my hand and tell me exactly what to do. I can’t keep expecting people to show up and figure things out for me. I am an adult now. I have to be the one to take responsibility for my life. I have to be the one to fight for myself, to decide what I want, and to go after it. No more waiting, no more hoping that someone else will make the tough calls for me.
But you know what? I am also realizing that being an adult doesn’t mean having everything figured out. It doesn’t mean I have to know what 26 will be like before I get there. It just means I have to keep showing up for myself, every single day. It means I have to trust that God is leading me, even when I don’t have a clear roadmap.
Get Triphena Adediran’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
So, here’s what I want to tell you, 26-year-old me:
- You are allowed to not have all the answers. It doesn’t mean you’re lost. It just means you’re growing.
- You don’t have to rush. There is no race. Life is not leaving you behind. Everything will come together in its own time.
- You are stronger than you think. Look at everything you’ve been through, everything you thought would break you but didn’t. You are still standing. You will always find a way.
- God is still God. Even when you don’t understand what’s next, He does. Even when things feel uncertain, He is sure.
So, here’s to 26. To figuring things out one day at a time. To learning, unlearning, growing, and becoming. To the highs, the lows, the unexpected turns. To trusting God even when the road isn’t clear.
I don’t know what 26 will bring. But I know I’ll be okay.
With love,
Me
