What I've Learned In My 20s So Far

​3 Things I've learned in my 20s (so far) 


Our twenties , for most of us , is when we finally experience life truly on our own . We still have our support systems and our families are still there waiting to send care packages or money as soon as they sense we're even REMOTELY in need . . . but it's in these years that we open our eyes to our world and not the world shaped by our parents , our teachers , or old lady June down the street who use to watch you when you were 4 . Most of us stepped out of our comfort zones and stumbled into reality - HARD . I feel like I realize new things almost daily but these are 3 of the things I've learned in my 20s so far , maybe you can relate .

1. Things never go as you plan .
 
I had crazy and in hind sight - very unrealistic goals growing up . I applied to Harvard , which isn't the unrealistic part because I'm actually REALLY smart . I got pretty far in the acceptance process but decided to stay close to home due to my mom's first diagnosis with Breast cancer and ended up with a full ride academic scholarship to The Ohio State University . #GoBucks . I graduated and decided the move was Los Angeles . The plan : move to LA , sign a recording contract and be on tour within a year . 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Poor 22year old Joe . Quite the ambitious one . Long story short , it didn't happen and still hasn't happened but you know what , I'm not worried - and I'm very happy about it . I'd be a very different person had that happened . I wouldn't be writing this . I wouldn't have met some of the greatest people I know . I wouldn't have had half the experiences I've been very fortunate to have . Honestly , I don't think I would be as happy as I am now . I suppose what I'm getting at is , I don't believe in failure ; there are only opportunities to learn . We all wish for 10 million dollars but the reality of it all is most of us wouldn't know what to do with 10 million dollars . We aren't READY for 10 million dollars . We have these goals but we may not be ready for them in the timeframe we give ourselves to achieve them . 

​2. That wasn't love .

New city . New shiny things . New REALLY hot people . I moved to LA from Columbus , Ohio where I worked at the Abercrombie & Fitch corporate office . Back then , I was surrounded by some of the most beautiful people . Models flown in for castings . Fashion shows . Fit modeling . Literally tripping over some of the people we #Goal on IG . I had my flings but they were whatever . Fast forward to LA . Thrust into a city filled with the faces and bodies of those deemed too elite for their small towns . I transferred to the A&F Flagship store because , why not ? I fell in love twice a day for the first year and a half out here . Los Angeles was over flowing with an energy I hadn't felt and an overwhelming concentration of beautiful people -both guys and girls . Some , a few shown below , have grown to be some of the best people I have ever met . Welcomed me with open arms and proved time and time again that they are just as perfect on the inside as they are on the outside . On the other hand , there were MANY , not shown , that gave me attention simply because I was the 'cute' new guy . A LOT of heartache . I didn't know who I was yet so I wasn't able to love myself , didn't know what love was so I couldn't expect others to love me back . I mistakenly equated attention for love and it messed me up for a bit . Caused me to get reckless - I mean people busting in on me making out with someone in the shadows in the club . 3am booty calls . Borderline body dysmorphia because I felt like I had to look like some ridiculously specific creation to keep the attention of these people because again - I equated attention to love . It wasn't love . I want to write more about this one but I'm gunna hold off so you guys will come back . ;)

(( Some of my favorite LA people ))
((Stunning inside & out))

Christina Santini

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Jordan Rodriguez

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Carmella Rose

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Sven Rossa​

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​3. It's ok to experience . 

I'd never tell anybody to do anything they would feel forced to do . I'd never tell anybody to do anything that makes them feel in danger . But I will tell all who are willing to listen that it's never ok to get complacent or to -stay- comfortable . The world is far too big . Cultures and people are waiting to be embraced . 

Once I legit realized I was LIVING MY OWN LIFE , I had my personal 'the world isn't flat' moment and it was everything one would think it'd be . No fear of judgements . No fear of disappointing anyone . I was on a path to meeting someone I always wanted to meet - myself . I kissed some girls and grabbed some ass . I kissed some boys and grabbed some ass . (I've always been an ass man . Haha) . I found out what I'd look like as a girl , and people grabbed my ass . I went wild at my first music festival (Coachella) staying up for 38hrs . I cut A LOT of people out of my life which was much needed because for the longest time I felt I needed said people 'just in case' - whatever that means . I got tattoos . Lol . I did whatever . I made decisions for ME . 

Coachella with @Vin_Sant & @KevinPearn

(( Halloween as Beyonce ))

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The reason for this post is to show you that even though I'm now in the latter end of my 20s , I still haven't figured everything out and that's ok . I don't beat myself up . I don't cry myself to sleep . I don't even allow myself to think that I've let anybody down . We don't know the ultimate meaning of life but I assure you it's not to get some 9-5 job or to impress people or to live up to standards placed upon you growing up . Life to me , is about the journey and writing your story as it comes along . 

So get out there , kiss somebody and grab some ass . Haha . So when you look back on it , when you're going through whatever that impending and devastatingly life altering scenario may be , at least it'll put a smile on your face and get you through to your next sunrise . #SomeDailyJoe