you’re only 22.

Dear 22-year-old me,

I see you drive down the streets of South Congress and see all the new buildings popping up that have never resonated with the real Austin. But do you resonate? Do you belong here, still? I feel like when you’re 22, the options are limitless, and it’s not an illusion; they really are. So, in a world full of options and changing landscapes, can you keep up?

It’s just not fair, right? You can't be taken seriously anywhere until you take yourself seriously. Then again, you place all these doubts on yourself; no one else put them there.

I know you’re tired. Tired of trying to measure up, tired of seeing people your age with their lives seemingly figured out while you're still figuring it all out. There's so much pressure to succeed quickly, be constantly productive, and have it all together before you even finish your second decade. 

You always feel like you’re falling behind. But really, you’re just not following the status quo. You don't do what everyone else is doing because following the crowd has never aligned with you. 

I see you scrolling through social media like an iPad baby, only to see other people your age living their very best lives. They only show the best moments. They don’t show the sleepless nights, the moments of doubt, the rejections, or the times they’ve felt lost. Social media doesn’t ever capture the struggles, the growth, or the learning process. And it certainly doesn’t reflect the reality that many of us are in—working jobs that don’t reflect our worth, hustling to make ends meet, and trying to figure out who we are in the middle of all that. 

Being a creative at 22 can feel like walking a tightrope. You’re passionate, driven, and ready to make your mark, but you’re also faced with the harsh realities of financial instability, endless hustle, and self-doubt. It’s excruciating. You want to make a whole new life for yourself, decentering the absolute need for “success” and recentering the need for happiness. Isn't that what's most important after all? 

I think you're still figuring that part out. But I have no doubt in my mind you will. The path might not be clear yet, and it might not be linear, but the journey itself will shape the person you’re becoming. And when you look back, you’ll see that the real success wasn’t in crossing off milestones—it was in learning to live on your own terms. On your own damn terms. 

marie