[MissionPossible]

No, my 20s were awesome. I was finally free and my life was going to be whatever I made of it. It is probably true that despite the unlucky fate of being born to very harmful people in a horrible situation, perhaps I am lucky to have been born with a reasonably easy temperament and a broad range of intelligence in terms of numbers and levels of aptitudes. I know I also had it easier than some because I was very aware of who I was; who I wasn't; what I wanted; what I was good at and what I wasn't and my capacity for adaptation; and I really, really, REALLY liked myself. I knew I had a lot of value to develop and share and I was confident that enough of the right people and enough of the right opportunities would fill my life if I simply pointed my nose in the right direction and started doing what worked.

I left home the day I turned 18, with a few dollars in my pocket and no help from my family or anyone else. I intended to get a college degree in psychology, but first I to secure a contract as diplomatic interpreter in Europe in order to earn money for college and gain valuable life experiences. I found a job the next day that would pay me a cash commission and I worked my butt off to make money and save some of it. I lived on the street for a few days and then became a roommate of my sales partner who did not know where I was living. There was certainly less official red tape in the 80s than there is now. For a few months I ate on a few cents a day (eggs and potatoes were the cheapest, easiest, and most satisfying), and was no worse for wear and tear. A few months later I secured my contract and went to Europe and had an awesome time. I returned a few years later and put myself through college. Life was never perfect, it had its problems, but it was very very very good and I had a blast!

Having thought about it over the years, the problems I had in my 20s were to be expected. The biggest problem was dealing with residual anger and sadness over what had happened to me in my first 18 years. However, it is not really my nature to be a sad and angry person. I simply had to deal with it realistically: to accept it, analyze it, and then use it for something that would benefit me and the world I touch. That was certainly something I could do, so there could be no excuse for not making it happen.

The other problem was making naieve choices that I THOUGHT were well-thought out, but were in fact based more on subjective feelings and assumptions that I could not support well if I had analyzed them to a greater extent and trusted myself instead of trusting conventional wisdom and philosophy expected by society. Yes, I made some problematic choices in love and romance. I asked questions, but I asked the wrong questions and sometimes I said yes, when I knew I should say no. That's part of what it means to be young. Live and learn! Now I trust myself the way many people trust their god. I am human and I make mistakes, but most of the time, I am right on target and I know it. I change my position when I good solid reason to change it.

My 20s were awesome. Most of those years were a jet-setting blast. I went a lot of places and I met the kind of people and ranges of people that the average person doesn't have the opportunity to meet. And it all started from walking out that door with next to nothing and heading in the right direction out into the world towards my dreams. All in all, I wouldn't trade my 20s for anyone else's.

[Nemesis]

	Originally Posted by Paul Siraisi To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	punched a member of the UN in the face

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That is so awesome. Did he fight back? What happened after?

[Axion004]

I would have expected more INTJ types to have spent their teens/twenties locked away in a room or library in an attempt to learn. It does not seem that this assumption is accurate.

[Malkavia]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I love hearing wisdom of others older than me.

I'm only 22 but the past two years have been absolutely fantastic. Got to travel throughout the Middle East, move around between some of the poorest and richest groups in the world, got a great job in NYC... I want to make sure I don't "waste" opportunity as so many said they regretted doing in this thread. Living and learning is a great part growing up!

[seeyouatx]

I'm only 23, nearly 24, but I've been through a lot for my young years.

My 20's have been challenging, but I'll tough it out. I don't see the age being the issue so much as the experiences and how you handle them. I am no longer as angry as I was at 20, and I'm much tougher. I refuse to look at this decade of my life and go 'well, my 20's are going to be like this...'.

I've faced an incurable auto-immune disease, gone through a lot of pain, and had some tough times, but I've found a lot of myself in the process. Picking up the pieces left by my teen-aged years, I suppose.

Speaking of growing and living life...I really need to finish that cover letter to get it sent out tonight. Getting out of analysis-paralysis and into action-mode.

[MissionPossible]

	Originally Posted by Axion004 To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I would have expected more INTJ types to have spent their teens/twenties locked away in a room or library in an attempt to learn. It does not seem that this assumption is accurate.

I am of the opinion that many people mistake MBTI type descriptions as a description of who a person is, when in reality MBTI merely deals with the sorting of preferences and tendencies. Those preferences and tendencies exist along with their opposing qualities along a range of degrees within each person. In addition our personal life experiences, needs, wants, and goals do differ in their specifics and in what we take from them and integrate into who we are and what we do.

MBTI can call me an INTJ, but that is merely a description of some preferences according to data on a subjective test, and leaves out the rest of the story of my reality.

[Purgatid]

The first part of my 20's was very difficult. I wasn't working steadily with anything legal, had fear of bodily harm, and very little insight to what I am and why I do the things I do. The latter part of being 20 has been pretty damn good though.

[Paul Siraisi]

	Originally Posted by Nemesis To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. That is so awesome. Did he fight back? What happened after?

He (a snarky, balding Canadian administrator who failed to apologize as initially instructed, and instead suggested it was my fault GF had strayed while overseas) went down with the table we were sitting at. I have never before or since seen such abject shock and terror as he lay there on his back. His cheekbone was actually bleeding. I also screamed if he wanted another one (adrenaline surging). Ethiopian waiters ran over all solicitously alarmed for both of us expats, "What happened, what happened??"

Me, shouted to the whole shocked crowd: "He slept with my girlfriend--married man, too" (he was). Everyone just stood there and let me walk out. In the lobby of the building through which I had to exit, I came across him again being hurried out by a friend. I angled purposefully toward them and they both ran, huddled together in the most fearful way. It was hilarious. Very satisfying.

I was only visiting Addis to see my girlfriend, so I had no bridges to burn there (except hers--but she stayed with me). But the Canadian adulterer probaby saw his own job at risk at that point, so I never heard anything more about it. I just call it all the power of being right.

[Atamagahen]

I'm 21, soon to be 22 and stuck in a place I've never wanted to be.
I haven't lived with my family in over 3 years. Things are good compared to how they were when I was a child, but it's awfully dull and very uneventful. It's even a bit depressing knowing it is my invaluable time I'm wasting. I'll regret it when and if I grow old, despite realizing this, I just can't seem to derive any motivation anymore.

[Radamisto]

Not at all. My life has always been very easy and my twenties were the era of my greatest success and happiness.

[DrCiao]

My early 20s were a nightmare! Late 20s were slightly better. 30s, 40s, 50s + the best
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[INTJane]

No, my 20s weren't difficult overall. In a nutshell: college, job, marriage, travel, house, kids.

[LizzyGirl]

I'd say my teens were much worse. Yeah, you have to get used to being an adult in your 20's, but at least you get to make your own decisions and keep your own hours. In my teens, I had to put up with the bullying behavior of my mother and sister because that was where I lived. If they tried that shit now, they'd pretty promptly get told to shove it.

My early 20's was a time of uncertainty, development and discovery. This wasn't all good, but it had its moments. I remember feeling this amazing sense of relief to finally be able to be me, not to always be labelled a freak by members of my family who didn't understand my personality type. There were challenges - I definitely had to amp up the social skills and the self-esteem. Now I'm 29 (30 in 1.5 months), and I've got a good job, am mostly comfortable in my own skin, don't have to take shit from anyone and have a great home life. The 20's were definitely worth it.

[seeyouatx]

Originally Posted by Paul Siraisi To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

He (a snarky, balding Canadian administrator who failed to apologize as initially instructed, and instead suggested it was my fault GF had strayed while overseas) went down with the table we were sitting at. I have never before or since seen such abject shock and terror as he lay there on his back. His cheekbone was actually bleeding. I also screamed if he wanted another one (adrenaline surging). Ethiopian waiters ran over all solicitously alarmed for both of us expats, "What happened, what happened??" Me, shouted to the whole shocked crowd: "He slept with my girlfriend--married man, too" (he was). Everyone just stood there and let me walk out. In the lobby of the building through which I had to exit, I came across him again being hurried out by a friend. I angled purposefully toward them and they both ran, huddled together in the most fearful way. It was hilarious. Very satisfying. I was only visiting Addis to see my girlfriend, so I had no bridges to burn there (except hers--but she stayed with me). But the Canadian adulterer probaby saw his own job at risk at that point, so I never heard anything more about it. I just call it all the power of being right.

That is absolutely fantastic. I wonder how he explained his damaged face to his co-workers.

[kerrigor]

So it seems like everyone for the most part everyone had a rough time in their early twenties. My question is, given the chance to do it over, what would you do differently? What would have made it better? I ask this because I am 23, and kind of feel like I am on the exact path everyone is talking about. Im with a shitty corporate job which makes me work 50+hours a week, am not really liking where im living, and lately I find myself not interested in relationships or friends at all, like all anyone does is "hang out"! go to restaurant. hang out. go to house. hang out. go to bar. hang out. GAH SO BORING. Im thinking about just going for the military because if I dont get a change of pace I will go crazy. Thoughts? Also just wanted to mention Im totally independent, pay for everything, apt, gas car etc, and to just pack up and go travelling or something would really screw me financially.

[Axion004]

I work at a software company(Usually average 45 hours per week and take 1-2 classes per semester).

Originally Posted by MissionPossible To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

I am of the opinion that many people mistake MBTI type descriptions as a description of who a person is, when in reality MBTI merely deals with the sorting of preferences and tendencies. Those preferences and tendencies exist along with their opposing qualities along a range of degrees within each person. In addition our personal life experiences, needs, wants, and goals do differ in their specifics and in what we take from them and integrate into who we are and what we do. MBTI can call me an INTJ, but that is merely a description of some preferences according to data on a subjective test, and leaves out the rest of the story of my reality.

Very true- I am just surprised more of the INTJ types wouldn't post responses which are more in relation to my early twenties. I guess these people just aren't responding because they are probably busy working
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.

I live in apartment but I still see mommy and daddy every weekend mainly because I like the coffee from their coffee machine.

[CaelestisPeste]

I'm in my 20's and it's been a bit difficult. So yes, I can say it's a bit difficult. It's the age of transition, and all that baloney.

[Plato]

I am 25.

Recently, I have nearly turned my world upside down, and it has been a very difficult transition for me. It feels like I have lived through so much more the past two months than I have the past few years.

I have been really successful with my job for the past 5 years, but that's where most of my focus has been.

So, it hasn't really been "difficult" because I have kind of coasted through my 20s, in a way, with my mind consumed by work and aspirations and goals.

Now, I am having a bit of a quarter-life (yes, I will live to 100 (okay, no, I most likely won't)) crisis.

[ModernLit]

Originally Posted by ModernLit To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

i forgot how old i was for a second. eh, early 20s weren't the greatest. went through a bad breakup and graduated college, was a nomad for a little while, finally got a job. was a cube monkey for 3 years. decided to go back to school. traveled a bit. moved. i guess things are looking up. i dunno. i hear the 30s are awesome, so i'm looking forward to that. but i did find my first white hair recently, and that wasn't so fun To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

p.s. yes, the teens were the absolute worst. oh god.
p.p.s. i feel like finally i have the best friends i could have, or at least, have found a few people who aren't as likely to let me down as so many have in the past. i feel a bit more appreciated for who i am as a person--good feeling.

[KeithP]

I'm 25, turning 26 this year. The twenties have been good enough. A few lulls, but whatever. Finished college, moved across country to get job in field, did that for roughly two years. I've been saying for while my 25th year has been a crappy one, but I'm starting to not believe that. Every year turns out to be different and exciting in its own way. Some years you gotta work. Some years you can enjoy. Work hard first, and you'll enjoy sooner than later.

When 23/24yr olds tell me they feel old, I laugh with them. Secretly at them.

[Deliberator]

Only six years in and so far it's been pretty fucking hard. I've adapted.

[satellite opi9]

I'm 27. It's been a constant stream of painful realizations of things I didn't know I didn't know.

[deconspire]

Exceedingly. When I was 22 I was killing people in Afghanistan and my fiance had just died. When I was 24 I was homeless. When I was 26 I was in jail. When I was 28 I had an office and a chair and a cushy university job.

Motherfuckin change. Bites you somethin fierce. Would never ask for another life.

[LadySpock]

	Originally Posted by castalia To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	You need to be at least in your late 20s to answer this question. Were your 20s a difficult decade for you? Explain.

Yes - Partly because I was way too concerned about what other people thought about me & partly because I did not know I am an INTJ.

[Numbers]

I'm not the type to bitch...okay, maybe a little. I'm 28, from 20-now it hasn't been easy. The birth of my children have been the highlight, the separation from their mother has been the worst. I think I've been in a functioning state of depression for the last 3 years. Taking a random personality test*i never take online tests*, has literally opened my eyes. It has only been a short time since I found out I'm INTJ, but with that knowledge and this forum, my outlook is better. Good luck to all those who are trudging through this life, remember, Always look to the East...the sun will rise there tomorrow
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