Eventually it Falls Apart… or Not
In the world-famous game Jenga, the goal is to build a tower by stacking blocks without collapsing the structure, the tricky part is the building blocks come from within the tower’s foundation. One piece is moved at a time from anywhere beneath the top of the tower and carefully positioned to make the tower grow higher and higher. Each player takes a turn holding their breath as they replace the pieces until, inevitably … boom! It comes crashing down, and they lose.
I view my 20s like Jenga, all the foundations laid by my parents and mentors up to this point have begun a testing phase. One piece of my youth is challenged or removed at a time and replaced by some bigger life change or lesson I need to learn. First it was friendships; who is worth loyalty, who should be removed completely, and who should I rekindle the bonds with. Then it was habits; is procrastination killing my opportunities, should I stop wearing acrylic nails, and how many times do I really say “um” in a minute? There was a brief period of adjusting to life with bills, a few blocks of personality conflict, a rough shift in relocation, and now the doozy. I am well into my 20s and I am still single.
The internet has any number of wearisome explanations of what it means to be single that prove more bothersome than comforting. Then there are those hopeful shelves at the local book store, packed with “be a successful single,” “you don’t need anyone anymore it’s 2018,” and “live your best life now.”
Jenga means “to build.”
There is a plethora of information on being single and being happy. However, all the tools you need to “be a successful single” are right inside of you. I’m going to share with you some of the best horror stories of my 20s so far and hopefully it’ll make you laugh and motivate you. Despite how freakishly cliché it sounds “you’re really ok and you can be a successful single.” You’ll need a laugh on those days when all your friends are gabbing about the reveal party with the red velvet cake; that was your idea for the past 10 years. You can build your tower as high as you want with careful planning and strategy and unlike Jenga you will not fall apart.
I view my 20s like Jenga, all the foundations laid by my parents and mentors up to this point have begun a testing phase. One piece of my youth is challenged or removed at a time and replaced by some bigger life change or lesson I need to learn. First it was friendships; who is worth loyalty, who should be removed completely, and who should I rekindle the bonds with. Then it was habits; is procrastination killing my opportunities, should I stop wearing acrylic nails, and how many times do I really say “um” in a minute? There was a brief period of adjusting to life with bills, a few blocks of personality conflict, a rough shift in relocation, and now the doozy. I am well into my 20s and I am still single.
The internet has any number of wearisome explanations of what it means to be single that prove more bothersome than comforting. Then there are those hopeful shelves at the local book store, packed with “be a successful single,” “you don’t need anyone anymore it’s 2018,” and “live your best life now.”
Jenga means “to build.”
There is a plethora of information on being single and being happy. However, all the tools you need to “be a successful single” are right inside of you. I’m going to share with you some of the best horror stories of my 20s so far and hopefully it’ll make you laugh and motivate you. Despite how freakishly cliché it sounds “you’re really ok and you can be a successful single.” You’ll need a laugh on those days when all your friends are gabbing about the reveal party with the red velvet cake; that was your idea for the past 10 years. You can build your tower as high as you want with careful planning and strategy and unlike Jenga you will not fall apart.