A MOMENT AT 22: FIVE QUESTIONS FOR A NEW YEAR
I turn 22 this month, and instead of doing anything big with it, I felt the need to pause.
Birthdays have always felt less like celebrations to me and more like markers. A chance to stop and look at where I am before moving forward again. January brings that same feeling. It’s a time that feels a little more honest, which has me reflecting on growing out of girlhood and into womanhood, and on the importance of marking moments that matter.
I know everyone reading this is stepping into this year from a different place. Some of you are struggling. Some of you feel steady and hopeful. Most of us are probably holding both at the same time. That feels true for me too.
At 22, I’m starting to understand that life doesn’t unfold in straight lines. Some of the things in my life right now once felt really far away - not impossible, just hard to imagine. At the same time, not everything feels finished or figured out. I used to think one would cancel out the other, but what I’m learning is that they can exist together.
Lately, I’ve also been thinking about how much support shapes the way a season feels. How different it is to move through life when you’re not carrying everything on your own. I know what it feels like to not have that, and I know how much it matters when it’s there.
As this new year started, I realized I don’t want to move through it on autopilot. I don’t want months to blur together without stopping to check in with myself. So I made a small commitment to myself for 22. On the first day of each month this year, I’m going to pause and ask myself a few simple questions. Not to fix anything, just to stay honest.
These are the 5 questions I’m starting with:
- What actually feels steady in my life right now, even if it’s small?
- What’s something I’m holding onto that no longer feels necessary for this season?
- Where am I being harder on myself than I need to be?
- What’s one thing I’m genuinely grateful for that doesn’t need to be explained or justified?
- What am I looking forward to this month?
I don’t have perfect answers to these. Some months I might not have answers at all. But asking them helps me stay present, and that feels like a good place to start this year.
Turning 22 doesn’t feel like arriving anywhere. It feels like beginning with a little more awareness. A little more trust. A little more openness to what this year might hold.
Some parts of my life feel really good right now. Other parts still feel unfinished. I’m excited to step into 22 knowing both can exist at the same time.
If your life feels steady, I’m really happy for you. And if it feels uncertain or slower than you expected, you’re not behind. You’re just where you are in this moment, and that’s okay. Moments don’t last forever.
I’m grateful to be entering 22 with you. Thank you for being here.
Love,
Sienna