It’s no secret that your twentysomethings are hard to navigate. I, myself, am experiencing it all for the first time and can say with a full heart that it definitely isn’t always a walk in the park. It can be so easy to feel lost or that you’re falling behind. The good news is that we’re all feeling similar things in this common experience, and there are limitless ways to connect to those feelings and start to make some sense of all of this. One of those sources that have seriously helped me is literature. Books have taught me so much and have forever changed the ways of my life. So, if you can relate, I have a few suggestions for you that you might appreciate. Here are some books that I feel have helped me begin to navigate these wild times!
The Defining Decade by Meg Jay
This book was such a pleasant surprise to me, and I enjoyed it far more than I ever expected. Clinical psychologist and author Meg Jay goes against the common idea that your twentysomethings simply don’t matter. In fact, this is an incredibly important time in life — the turning point, the defining decade! Jay does such a beautiful job of illustrating situations and offering a fresh perspective. She tells real stories of others who have encountered struggles in relationships, friendships, identities, and more. If you’ve felt it, she’s probably got a wise word of advice for you. This was something I just adored about her writing style. She speaks so intimately and has such a fantastic way of making me and my twentysomething struggles feel seen.
“Forget about having an identity crisis and get some identity capital. Do something that adds value to who you are. Do something that’s an investment in who you might want to be next.”
Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
Perhaps I am a tad bias as I adore Sally Rooney so much that I’ll read absolutely anything she publishes. However, this book has become one of my all-time favorites simply because of how beautifully written it is. Rooney’s latest fictional book follows the lives of two friends, Alice and Eileen, who are trying to navigate the ever-changing world of youthful life catching up to them. It offered me such a new perspective on my own relationships and gave my life such a spark for life!
“Maybe we’re just born to love and worry about the people we know, and to go on loving and worrying even when there are more important things we should be doing. And if that means the human species is going to die out, isn’t it in a way, a nice reason to die out, the nicest reason you can imagine? Because when we should have been reorganizing the distribution of the world’s resources and transitioning collectively to a sustainable economic model, we were worrying about sex and friendship instead. Because we loved each other too much and found each other too interesting. And I love that about humanity, and in fact it’s the very reason I root for us to survive – because we are so stupid about each other.”
You Are A Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
The perfect combination of pep talks, comedy, advice, and just straight up telling you as it is. It’s a great way to identify the things you may be doing to limit yourself and getting rid of those toxic habits. It taught me the importance of setting goals for myself and to stop with the constant self-sabotaging already! Sincero helps you discover why you are you, how to change, how to love the change, and how to kick some serious ass. It’s the type of book that makes you want to get up, do it, and do it now.
“You are responsible for what you say and do. You are not responsible for whether or not people freak out about it.”
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
Dolly Alderton, an award-winning journalist and former columnist for The Sunday Times, outdid herself with this book. It’s a brilliant memoir filled with loss, love, growth, and everything in between. There is just something about this book that feels so intimate, and that’s what makes it one of those books that you can’t put down. Her deeply personal and honest story creates such a perspective on family, friendship, and life. It’s truly free therapy, and I feel everyone should read it if they have the chance!
“I would like to pause the story a moment to talk about ‘nothing will change’. I’ve heard it said to me repeatedly by women I love during my twenties when they move in with boyfriends, get engaged, move abroad, get married, get pregnant. ‘Nothing will change.’ It drives me bananas. Everything will change. Everything will change. The love we have for each other stays the same, but the format, the tone, the regularity and the intimacy of our friendship will change for ever.”
When You’re Ready, This Is How You Heal by brianna wiest
No matter what situation you are experiencing, this book will have something for you. It’s the kind of book that you can always pick up no matter the stage of life you’re in. I admire that about books, so I definitely have a soft spot for this one. While I don’t think this is to be read like a novel, there is something wonderful about having short and sweet words of wisdom every now and then. Think of it like a best friend. It will give you the best advice when you’re ready to listen.
“And maybe in the end, the kindest possible thing you could do for yourself is to know that there is nothing that holds us back more than the important words that went unspoken, the deep instincts that went unfelt, the callings that went unanswered. Your life is reaching toward you, and maybe the kindest possible thing you could do is reach back.”
I hope this helped you, my fellow twentysomethings! Happy reading!