Your twenties are weird. Beautiful, messy, chaotic, life-altering – weird. One day you’re convinced you’ve got it all figured out, and the next you’re questioning everything from your job to your friend group to your go-to coffee order. You wake up with big dreams and a vision board, and somehow end up crying in the bathroom at a brunch spot because someone said something that hit just a little too close to home. Welcome to the decade of transformation.
But somewhere between the quarter-life crisis and the spontaneous weekend trips meant to cure it, something magical starts to happen. You begin to let go. Not dramatically or all at once, but piece by piece – quietly walking away from things that no longer serve you. Jobs that looked great on paper but drained your soul. Friendships that revolved around convenience, not connection. Relationships that felt like a constant audition. Even identities you once clung to start to fall away, making space for who you’re becoming.
You start realizing that your twenties are full of unexpected glow-ups. Not the kind you see on Instagram, but the real kind. There’s the glow-up that happens when you move on, the one that comes from rejection, and a quiet kind of glow-up that’s happening when you least expect it. These glow-ups aren’t flashy, but they’re just as transformative – if not more so.
Moving On: The Power of Letting Go
Here’s the thing no one really tells you: leaving isn’t failing. It’s not quitting, not when it’s done out of self-respect. It’s power. It’s clarity. It’s choosing yourself – even when it’s scary, even when it doesn’t make sense to anyone else. Leaving isn’t about running away; it’s about standing tall and saying: “This no longer serves me, and I deserve more.”
You start to realize that you don’t have to stay in situations that make you feel small or disconnected from who you are becoming. Walking away – whether from a job, relationship, or part of your own identity – becomes less about failure and more about growth. It’s about honoring yourself in the most loving, unapologetic way. And once you do, you make room for something that’s more aligned with your true self.
Rejection: Redirection in Disguise
Then there’s the other part: rejection. The “we’ve decided to go in a different direction” email. The date who never texts back. The friendship that slowly fizzles no matter how hard you try. Rejection has a way of feeling personal even when it’s not. But in your twenties, it happens a lot – and eventually, you learn that being told no doesn’t mean never. Sometimes it means not here, not now, or not this path. And maybe that’s the best thing that could happen. Rejection is redirection, and redirection is a gift in disguise (usually dressed in discomfort and delayed responses).
What’s wild is how often these two things – walking away and being turned away – go hand in hand during this chapter of life. It’s like the universe hands you a mirror and says, “Alright, who are you now?” And if you’re brave enough to answer honestly, things start shifting. You make choices that align more with your soul than your resume. You say no without guilt. You hear no without spiraling. You stop chasing what doesn’t feel right, and start attracting what does.
Quiet Glow-Ups: Transformation That Doesn’t Need an Audience
And then, there’s the quiet glow-up. It’s the transformation that doesn’t require an audience or applause. It’s the kind of change that happens beneath the surface, often without anyone noticing except for you. The quiet glow-up is about growth that doesn’t need to be broadcasted for it to be real. It’s internal, deeply personal, and it’s happening when you stop needing validation from others.
This kind of glow-up is the beauty of evolution that no one else has to see for it to be true. It’s those small, quiet moments where you start trusting yourself more, taking up space, and no longer seeking approval from anyone who doesn’t have your best interest at heart. It’s the glow-up of self-respect and authenticity, and it’s yours, even if no one else knows it’s happening.
So no, you’re not lost. You’re evolving. Rapidly. Messily. Beautifully. You’re not behind – you’re just in the middle of becoming. The twenties aren’t about settling down – they’re about shedding. About walking away with grace and taking the “no” with a little sass and a lot of faith.
And if all you do this decade is leave what’s not right and survive a few rejections with your sparkle intact, you’re doing just fine. Actually, you’re doing amazing.
ROARA Magazine 