8 Ways to Find Purpose in Your 20s

Original post by Sarah @ Renewed Upon a Dream, please visit her website for more great ideas!”

On Wednesday, I told you about my life post college in my 20s.  If you missed it, be sure to check it out.  At the end, I identified two things that I felt like I needed to find in my life in order to get out of the funk I was in.  Those things were purpose (or feeling needed), and having something to look forward to.


Hindsight is always 20/20, so now, looking back on that time in my life, there were some things that I did to help me fulfill those needs, and there’s also some things that I didn’t do, that may have helped.  I wanted to share these with you because I know I had a hard time in my early to mid 20s figuring out life & finding purpose, so I know there must be others of you out there struggling as well.

1) Go somewhere
Do a mission trip with your church.  Go on a volunteer trip abroad somewhere (just google “volunteer abroad” & you’ll find tons of options- just make sure you research the company before you go!).  Join the Peace Corps.  I REALLY wish I had done this when I was younger.  It’s the perfect time.  You don’t have a lot of the responsibilities that you have later in life that could prevent you from doing these things.  Trips abroad can give you perspective, and make you feel like you are making a difference in people’s lives.  Plus, they are great experience & resume builders.

2) Learn something
I started my masters degree when I was 23, just 6 months after graduating.  There are some degrees where you can do this, and some where you need to have some good work experience done first.  I am very glad I went to school & got the masters degree done.  It was a lot of work & would have been really hard if I were trying to take care of a family at the same time.  But, getting another degree isn’t the only way to learn something.  Maybe you majored in accounting, but you really love photography.  This is a great time to take some fun classes, maybe at your nearby community college, to learn more about your hobby.  There’s tons of classes at our community college.  We even have a home improvement course just for women that I’ve been eyeing recently.  You could also take community education classes.  Or cooking classes.  You could do art or floral arrangements or earn a fitness or building license. I would love to know more about wine.  You could become a tax professional to earn some extra income during tax season.  There’s tons of options out there, & you have the time to follow your interests right now.

3) Develop a hobby
I’m sure there are things that you have really found enjoyable at different points in your life that you could find enjoyment in again.  Or, develop a new hobby.  I ran cross-country & track in high school, but pretty much gave up running once I was around 19.  After graduating from college, I took it back up again.  Running was fun & a way to get outside.  I also ran a 5K race here & there.  Whatever your hobby is, you have plenty of time to develop it further now.  Or, take up a ton of hobbies & you’ll never get bored


4) Participate in regularly scheduled activities
It can be easy to get lazy & “forget” to call your friends up or be continually deciding the couch & tv looks more appealing than getting dressed up to go out.  I found this to be a problem for me.  I found that having regularly scheduled activities helped me get out of the house & meet new people.  The classes you might take from #2 count!  Some things I did was joining a bowling league & a softball league.  You could join a bible study group or a running group.  Book clubs are fun too.  Maybe you really like volunteering at a certain place.  I did some regular scheduled volunteering at a Humane Society for a while.  I found that having something regularly on my calendar made me more likely to participate since I was expected to be there.

5) Say “yes” & be spontaneous
This one was super hard for me.  But one year I made it my goal to say “yes” as much as possible.  If anyone asked me if I wanted to do something, I said yes.  I did a TON of fun things that year!  I like to know what I’ve got planned for the day when I wake up in the morning & it’s very hard for me to deviate from that plan.  But when I made it my goal to do so, and even at times forced myself to go to things I maybe didn’t really want to go to, I found that I had fun, and didn’t really miss my couch time.  Sometimes you just gotta trust you’ll have a good time.

6) Get a pet
I REALLY wanted a dog for years.  But I lived in apartments that didn’t allow them.  I’m a dog person, & we always had a dog when I was growing up.  I really felt like having one would have given my life more purpose.  I would have had an animal that was dependent on me.  Dogs are amazing company.  I did get one as soon as I could, my Mojo!!  I love him & he is awesome.  I’m not a cat person, but I think if you are they’d work the same way.  I don’t ever want to be dog-less again.

7) Go on vacation
If you don’t have the funds to go somewhere, take a stay-cation, and have some fun locally.  I would rarely use my vacation time in my first jobs because I didn’t have any money to go anywhere.  I really wish I would have taken some stay-cations.  When you leave a job, it’s not like you get that vacation time back.  Plus having a vacation on the calendar really gives you something to look forward to.  I feel like the planning for and anticipation of the vacation is almost more fun than the vacation itself (almost).  You need a break every once in a while!

8) Take risks with your career
Now’s the time to do this.  In 2007 I was working at a law firm.  I didn’t like it AT ALL.  I had been there for about 2 years.  I got laid off.  It sucked.  BUT getting laid off gave me the courage to take a TEMPORARY (meaning no benefits, no vacation or sick time, no security) position in the field I actually wanted to work in- higher ed.  I don’t think I have done that if I hadn’t been laid off.  I met my husband at that temporary job.  It led to a consulting job, which then led to another temporary job, which eventually led to the perm job I have now.  It was seriously totally worth it.  If you want to do something, go for it!  It’ll all work out in the end- if it’s not okay, it’s not the end.


Oh & here’s another bonus piece of advice from me…. ask the cute boys out.  Even if it appears they have no interest in you.  It worked for me


Obviously, I’m not an expert or anything, so if you’ve tried all of these things or you just can’t seem to dig yourself out, PLEASE seek professional help    I send hugs your way!


Do you have any other pieces of advice?  Please share if you do!  I’d love to hear them!

I’m linking this post here:
My Romantic Home
Happy Go Lucky  
Lolly Jane
Tater Tots & Jello
Positively Splendid
I Heart Nap Time
Home Stories A2Z 
Vintage Wanna Bee
A Diamond in the Stuff 
Organize & Decorate Everything 
The DIY Dreamer 
One Chatty Chic 
Romance on a Dime 
Southern Lovely 
Lil’ Luna 
Blue Cricket Design 
Someday Crafts 
My Girlish Whims 
The Taylor House 
Delightful Order 
Crafty Scrappy Happy 
52 Mantels 
Somewhat Simple 
Live Laugh Rowe 
Two Yellow Birds 
Thrifty Decorating 
Allie Makes 
At the Picket Fence 
Chic on a Shoestring 
Making Lemonade 
Nap Time Crafters 
5 Days 5 Ways 
Whipperberry 
Blissful & Domestic 
30 Handmade Days 
Serenity Now 
Simply Designing 
Our DIY Diaries

Read more at Renewed Upon a Dream