Dear 20-Something Woman, Don’t Settle For Anything That Isn’t Love

Our lives are meant to be lived, not rushed. So please, don’t settle. 

Not in a toxic friendship, not in a place where you don’t feel home, not in a kind of work where you can’t see growth, not in a belief where you can’t feel traces of yourself and most importantly, not in a relationship that’s unsure and uncertain.

I know it’s hard to figure things out. The pressure from people around you telling you’re too old to be picky, too old to believe in happy endings. Today, I challenge you to prove them wrong.

Because woman, you aren’t too old for anything.

I want you to know that while a lot of things may not be perfect, at the end of the day, you deserve a relationship that is fulfilling. The kind of relationship that, without a doubt, will help you grow in faith and love.

So woman, learn to wait for the one and not just settle with anyone who’s available.

Wait for the guy who will try to make you smile even if he’s tired. The one who’ll ask ‘how’s your day’ and will understand how rough it was when your only answer is a sad nod. The one who’ll kiss your forehead and hold your hands without you even asking. The one who’ll go out of his way just to take you on dates.

You’ll encounter a lot of wrong signs along the way. Please don’t get fooled. You are strong and passionate and you are meant to be taken care of in a way deeper than the surface of the face and the body.

There will be that someone who will remember every piece of you —your favourite cake flavor, your go-to midnight snack, your tipsy song, your signature scent. He will understand your entirety, your complexities, your mood swings and you PMS-ing.

Wait for that one who becomes his own creative. The one who writes you letters, sings you songs, even if he’s usually off-key. The one who has memorised your face and can draw a picture of you in the air.

Wait for someone who will accept the whole of you – with your pasts, your flaws and your tattoos. The one who’ll appreciate the fact that you’ve been through a lot of things and your brokenness makes you beautiful and unique.

Because woman, you are a 20-something complete being and you know you do not need anyone to make you feel happy. But you also know that soon, someone will come along, and he’ll make you love life in a whole new level because you love him too. That, my dear, is the one you deserve.

Woman, I know you’ve loved and you’ve lost a hundred times. But I encourage you to love again, not just settle.

Trust me, it’s worth the wait.