Today was really one of the longest days of my life, and it also happened to be my birthday, my 25th birthday. I have been told this is suppose to be a milestone year, and I must admit, 25 does sound WAY older than 24 so I have been dreading this day for some time now, because I have also been told that at this point in life, we’re suppose to have everything figured out. Luckily for me, I have accepted that I will live by my own rules and not let others dictate my success, or how long it takes me. Typically, birthdays feel like a totally normal day for me, but today felt different. Maybe it was because 25 is a milestone, or maybe it was because I am in a completely different place in life than I had always pictured. I know life happens and it usually doesn’t play exactly how we want it to, but I am nowhere near where I always thought I should be at this point.

I remember being 18-years-old and talking about future plans with my best friends in high school. I would finish college, find someone to settle down with, be working at my dream job and have two children by the age of 25. I have never been more ecstatic to be completely wrong about something.

All of those things sound nice and comforting, and I did graduate from college, but I finally feel like I know what I really want from life and I know I am heading in the right direction. I pictured myself having a grip and a real understanding of life at 25, but I learned more about myself over the past year than ever before, so I think my milestone year was really 24.

At 24, I was humbled by experiencing rejection, heartbreak, loss, frustration, defeat, but most importantly, 24 taught me that I am fully capable of starting over. I have had an entire year to focus on what I want from this life, and I finally feel like I have found myself and my path isn’t exactly clear, but I at least have more of a concrete idea of how to get there. I am the happiest and most complete I have ever felt before and I know that being 25 will not change that.

24 was by far the most difficult year I have experienced, but it prepared me for everything that has yet to come. I am excited for new experiences, new relationships, new styles and new adventures that this milestone is going to bring to me. I am living for the moment and putting myself first. For the first time, I feel I know my purpose. After almost a full day, 25 is proving to be pretty good, definitely older than 24, but it feels really good.

Steal my look today: Forever 21 top and skirt: Forever 21