Courtney Unfiltered

When I was in my 20s, I always dreaded turning 30. Growing up, everyone thought you had to have your life together in your 20s—being married, having kids, buying a house, etc. In reality, your 20s are for learning, growing, making mistakes, and figuring out who you really are. My 20s were filled with fun times, lessons, growth, and experiences I didn’t think I’d ever overcome.

One of my biggest lessons—that I still swear by—is that everything happens for a reason, and sometimes things don’t work out, and that’s okay! Growing up, playing college volleyball was one of my biggest dreams. I thought college sports would be the coolest and best thing in the world, especially at a young age. Dealing with the reality became one of my hardest lessons. College volleyball didn’t work out in my early 20s and I quit—the first thing I’d ever quit in my life. I was raised to not be a quitter and to follow through with everything. My experience was terrible. My mental health declined, I developed an eating disorder, and I grew to hate volleyball—three things I never expected. When I quit, I beat myself up for years over it, and it became one of my biggest regrets. But as I said, everything happens for a reason. After transferring colleges, I met some of my best friends, which helped shape my path through my 20s.

I know it sounds hippy-dippy, but everything truly does happen for a reason, and sometimes you don’t discover that reason until years later. When you’re younger, everyone glorifies your 20s and suggests you need to have your life together. That is the farthest thing from true. Your 20s are for learning and figuring out who you are in every way. I struggled a lot in my 20s, up until I was 29, but it set me up for success and happiness in my 30s. Sometimes all you need to do is trust the process and it’ll work out how it’s supposed to!

xoxo Courtney