How To Survive (and Thrive) in Your 20's!

Amanda Paolicelli: 00:00:01

What's up radiant icons and welcome back to

2

: 00:00:04

Dare to be Iconic the podcast made

for icons daring to be themselves.

3

: 00:00:10

I'm your host Amanda Paolicelli and

today's tea time sesh is one of my

4

: 00:00:15

most requested topics so I am so

excited to spill all the tea about it.

5

: 00:00:20

Today, we are talking about

how you can survive and thrive,

6

: 00:00:25

yes, you heard me right, it is

possible to thrive in your 20s.

7

: 00:00:29

And we're gonna do it together.

8

: 00:00:30

But before we get into that, I dare

you to connect with me on socials.

9

: 00:00:35

It's linked in the show notes below.

10

: 00:00:37

And if you like Dare to be Iconic,

subscribe, leave a review, share it

11

: 00:00:41

with your friends so that we can have

more amazing radiant icons in our little

12

: 00:00:46

community of ours that I'm loving so much.

13

: 00:00:49

So I promise to deliver a piping

hot tea time sesh every week,

14

: 00:00:53

and this week is no exception.

15

: 00:00:56

We are diving deep into how we

can survive and thrive in our 20s.

16

: 00:01:01

Being in my 20s has seemed

almost impossible to figure out.

17

: 00:01:06

And it all comes down to one little

secret that I learned in therapy,

18

: 00:01:11

which is embrace the early life crisis.

19

: 00:01:15

We are currently all experiencing

an early life crisis where we are

20

: 00:01:20

the adult in the room and we're

not used to being the adult.

21

: 00:01:23

So, how do we accept that realization and

move forward in one of the most confusing

22

: 00:01:31

yet exhilarating times in our lives?

23

: 00:01:35

Well, Radiant Icons, you are

in for a treat, because your

24

: 00:01:38

tea time sesh is starting now.

25

: 00:01:41

Let me just start off

with a little confession.

26

: 00:01:44

I don't know who told us that our 20s are

going to be the best times of our lives.

27

: 00:01:50

I don't know who started that,

but they were low key correct.

28

: 00:01:55

Being in your 20s is like how I like

to describe as a cocktail of terror.

29

: 00:02:00

It's confusing, it's exhilarating,

it's thrilling, it's heartbreaking.

30

: 00:02:06

Every little emotion

that you can think of.

31

: 00:02:09

Like, that's just how it is.

32

: 00:02:13

So I was on Instagram and there was

this reel that popped up talking about

33

: 00:02:19

if you're single read this and it was

basically describing if someone had

34

: 00:02:24

told you today that you were going to

meet the future love of your life next

35

: 00:02:31

month, how would you live your life?

36

: 00:02:33

Would you be sad because it hasn't

happened yet, or, would you be

37

: 00:02:38

living your life to the fullest?

38

: 00:02:40

And that really put things

in perspective to me.

39

: 00:02:43

So I am an overachiever.

40

: 00:02:45

I have always been an overachiever

since I was a little baby Amanda.

41

: 00:02:49

And that has not changed as

I've grown into a young adult.

42

: 00:02:54

I think that is my downfall when it

comes to being an entrepreneur because

43

: 00:02:59

I want to do everything and anything

at once and one of my -not one of

44

: 00:03:04

my- all of my good friends tell me

that I need to chill the heck out.

45

: 00:03:09

There are so many things that I

want to do within my beautiful,

46

: 00:03:12

little Dare To Be Iconic umbrella.

47

: 00:03:16

The majority of the little hopes

and dreams that I had in my

48

: 00:03:19

heart are coming to fruition.

49

: 00:03:22

And it's really exciting,

and it's really scary.

50

: 00:03:26

But overall, I still think

I'm not doing enough.

51

: 00:03:31

That I could be further on in my journey.

52

: 00:03:33

In my head, I'm constantly beating

myself up, thinking, if I would've

53

: 00:03:38

posted on LinkedIn sooner, I

would've been further ahead.

54

: 00:03:40

If I would've, figured out what I wanted

to contribute and say to the world sooner,

55

: 00:03:44

Then maybe my business would be bigger.

56

: 00:03:46

Like, and it's so ridiculous to

think of because within just eight

57

: 00:03:51

months of starting , I have done

so much yet I can't step back and

58

: 00:03:56

take in the blessings and the wins.

59

: 00:04:00

So that brings me back to, if I was

told I was going to meet the love of

60

: 00:04:04

my life in a month, would I be sad or

would I be living life to the fullest

61

: 00:04:10

and it really flipped my mindset and

thinking why can't I take in the journey?

62

: 00:04:16

Why am I so focused on the destination?

63

: 00:04:19

Because in these two scenarios dare to be

iconic- I think I can be further along.

64

: 00:04:23

And I'm being really hard on

myself when really, I've done

65

: 00:04:26

a whole bunch of impressive

stuff that I should be proud of.

66

: 00:04:29

And I am!

67

: 00:04:30

Yet, that self doubt and that

imposter syndrome pops up.

68

: 00:04:35

It's like a little plant that

decides to sprout, and it

69

: 00:04:38

feeds into your insecurities.

70

: 00:04:40

And then with the singleness.

71

: 00:04:42

Why can't we just enjoy being single and

enjoy that journey of figuring it out?

72

: 00:04:48

The key to surviving and thriving

in your 20s is accepting the

73

: 00:04:53

early life crisis we're in and

having fun in figuring it out.

74

: 00:04:59

This journey of the in between to

the destination, of figuring out

75

: 00:05:04

what we're supposed to be doing, in

quotation marks, in our 20s, is what

76

: 00:05:09

makes it this cocktail of terror.

77

: 00:05:12

Yes, the journey may be really daunting

and scary, but it's also a lot of fun.

78

: 00:05:19

It's unpredictable, yet exciting.

79

: 00:05:23

It's that fear of the unknown,

yet the exhilaration of it.

80

: 00:05:28

We have to figure it out for ourselves.

81

: 00:05:30

We have that freedom.

82

: 00:05:31

. So why not embrace it?

83

: 00:05:34

One other thing I noticed about being

in my 20s currently is I'm also

84

: 00:05:37

realizing, within this concept of

embracing this early life crisis, is

85

: 00:05:42

that everyone's timeline looks different.

86

: 00:05:45

And just because mine isn't like my

parents when they were in their 20s,

87

: 00:05:48

or my friends who are having kids

now, or my friends who are married,

88

: 00:05:52

or my friends who are going to Europe,

doesn't mean that my timeline is wrong.

89

: 00:05:56

So why do I feel the need to

exhilarate my timeline and not

90

: 00:06:00

enjoy the journey that I'm in?

91

: 00:06:02

Because I'm exactly where I should

be even if it's not where I expect it

92

: 00:06:06

to be, I'm exactly where I should be.

93

: 00:06:09

So why do I feel like I need

to do all the things at once

94

: 00:06:13

because I'm running out of time?

95

: 00:06:14

I have all the time in the world.

96

: 00:06:16

We are in our 20s.

97

: 00:06:19

So why do we feel the need

to have the answer right now?

98

: 00:06:23

Because, spoiler alert, we're not

gonna have the answer in two months.

99

: 00:06:27

We may not even have

the answer in ten years.

100

: 00:06:30

And that's okay.

101

: 00:06:31

And I think that's what we need to accept.

102

: 00:06:34

We need to say yes to life, but we also

need to embrace the stage that we're

103

: 00:06:38

currently in, which goes back to what

I mentioned in episode 3, trusting

104

: 00:06:44

our path like we trust an Uber.

105

: 00:06:47

We are on the right path for ourselves,

and just because our timeline may look

106

: 00:06:53

different than our friends, than the

TikTokers who are killing it right now,

107

: 00:06:58

doesn't mean that one, our contributions

to the world are insignificant, and two,

108

: 00:07:03

doesn't mean that our path is wrong.

109

: 00:07:05

It is right for us.

110

: 00:07:07

And we need to start normalizing

that and accepting that . That's how

111

: 00:07:12

you survive and thrive in your 20s.

112

: 00:07:15

You say yes to life and accept

the journey that you're on.

113

: 00:07:19

And I know, it's a lot

easier said than done.

114

: 00:07:21

I get that completely because

I am in this state too.

115

: 00:07:27

I walk around the world feeling

like sometimes the biggest imposter.

116

: 00:07:32

And other times I feel like, oh,

I'm that girl, I know what I'm

117

: 00:07:36

doing, blah blah blah blah blah.

118

: 00:07:38

I'm in that constant state of going back

and forth of feeling like an imposter and

119

: 00:07:42

then feeling like the baddest girl alive.

120

: 00:07:45

It is so normal to feel all these feelings

because no one's path looks the same.

121

: 00:07:53

But this episode right here is your

reminder to trust the journey that you're

122

: 00:07:59

on because the journey is the fun part.

123

: 00:08:02

Figuring it out is fun.

124

: 00:08:04

Why do you want to know the answer?

125

: 00:08:06

It's like you pick up a new

book, and you skip all the way

126

: 00:08:09

to the end to know what happens.

127

: 00:08:11

And then you're like, okay, great.

128

: 00:08:12

Now I know what happens.

129

: 00:08:13

Let me go back to the beginning.

130

: 00:08:14

What?

131

: 00:08:14

Why skip to the ending when you have

a good middle and a good beginning?

132

: 00:08:19

And that's the same

concept with our twenties.

133

: 00:08:21

Why are we going to rush to

see, Oh, how is the end result

134

: 00:08:25

going to be in our thirties?

135

: 00:08:26

Why rush it?

136

: 00:08:27

We are exactly where we need to be.

137

: 00:08:29

So let's enjoy it.

138

: 00:08:31

Let's have fun.

139

: 00:08:32

Say yes to life.

140

: 00:08:33

Say yes to the crazy things that

you thought you never were gonna do.

141

: 00:08:36

Take that trip to Europe.

142

: 00:08:38

Buy the concert tickets.

143

: 00:08:39

Kiss the boy in the bar.

144

: 00:08:41

Like, do it!

145

: 00:08:42

Like, literally, do

everything and anything!

146

: 00:08:44

You're gonna fail, and that's okay.

147

: 00:08:48

You're gonna be imperfect,

and that's okay.

148

: 00:08:50

But you're also going to succeed

sometimes, and that's great!

149

: 00:08:53

So do it all.

150

: 00:08:54

Say yes to life, say yes to the journey,

and embrace the early life crisis.

151

: 00:08:58

So what are some action steps

that you can take so that you can

152

: 00:09:01

survive and thrive in your 20s?

153

: 00:09:03

The first one that I'm

gonna say is journaling.

154

: 00:09:06

Self reflection is a big

part of this process, of this

155

: 00:09:11

dare to be iconic journey.

156

: 00:09:13

I'm going to recommend journaling.

157

: 00:09:15

I love a good journal.

158

: 00:09:17

Journaling allows you to really take

in the moments And see your thought

159

: 00:09:22

process and just be like, hmm, what

is actually going on in my brain?

160

: 00:09:27

How am I feeling and how

can I get to the root of it?

161

: 00:09:30

I love getting to the root of things So

journaling is one that I highly recommend

162

: 00:09:34

and if you are Looking for a guided

journal, I recommend my journal break up

163

: 00:09:40

with the past fall in love with the future

That's available now on amazon and linked

164

: 00:09:43

in the show notes below, Shameless plug.

165

: 00:09:46

But journaling will be your best friend

on this Dare to be Iconic journey while

166

: 00:09:50

you're figuring out your twenties.

167

: 00:09:51

I promise you, journaling,

she's your girl.

168

: 00:09:54

Now, my second action step for you guys.

169

: 00:09:58

Will be lean on your tribe and I know I've

said this in episode 4 But your tribe,

170

: 00:10:04

your tribe, your tribe is everything.

171

: 00:10:08

The dare to be iconic journey is

not only an individual one But a

172

: 00:10:11

collective one you are not the only

one feeling this lost and confused in

173

: 00:10:15

your 20s ,I promise you, you are not.

174

: 00:10:19

I am currently feeling it.

175

: 00:10:20

I know my girlfriends have.

176

: 00:10:22

You are not alone.

177

: 00:10:24

So lean on your friends.

178

: 00:10:25

Let them be that mirror for you when

you need someone to be that hype person.

179

: 00:10:31

We are in this together.

180

: 00:10:32

You guys are not alone in it.

181

: 00:10:34

So lean on your friends,

lean on your community.

182

: 00:10:36

And if you need a community,

join the Radiant Icon community.

183

: 00:10:40

That is our tea time sesh

for today, Radiant Icons.

184

: 00:10:43

I hope you liked today's episode,

because this tea time sesh, ooh, was

185

: 00:10:48

it a little bit chaotic and unhinged?

186

: 00:10:50

Absolutely.

187

: 00:10:52

But that's what it's like being in

our 20s, so I hope you liked it.

188

: 00:10:55

And if you did, make sure to

subscribe, leave a review, share it

189

: 00:10:58

with your friends, and connect with

me on socials so you can join our

190

: 00:11:02

beautiful Radiant Icon community.

191

: 00:11:04

Next week, we have my

girls, Noelle and Dani.

192

: 00:11:08

We are revealing some very exciting news

for our summer that I will be documenting

193

: 00:11:13

all on social media and on this podcast.

194

: 00:11:16

So you definitely don't want to

miss that surprise announcement.

195

: 00:11:19

And if you know me, you probably

have an idea it's one of my

196

: 00:11:24

favorite things to fangirl about.

197

: 00:11:26

So make sure to tune in to that very

chaotic and very unhinged Tea Time sesh.

198

: 00:11:32

But anyway, Radiant Icons,

I'll see you next week.

199

: 00:11:36

And remember, dare to be iconic.

200

: 00:11:39

Bye.