Nico stealing my favourite Totoro / 25! / We caught a shooting star during the Perseid meteor shower
Sunset at the farm / Sid – Ollie’s (16 year old!) Norwegian Forest Cat / Movie night with some old favourites
Pizza night with friends / Nico is super excited by his goodies from Pets Pyjamas! / Pattern cutting
Today is my 25th birthday, a quarter of a century old, and I think you could say I’m having a bit of a quarter life crisis! In my mind when I was younger, 25 seemed so old. I imagined that by now I’d be married, have a stable income, have settled into a career, have my own house & have become a proper grown up. I can’t say I have even one of those things right now, but in a way I’m glad, I don’t feel I’m ready for them yet & I don’t want to settle down either, I feel like I’m just getting started & still have so much more exploring & figuring out to do before all of that. I have plenty of years ahead of me to be a proper grown up, so I intend to be selfish, immature, reckless & have a little fun for at least a couple more yet!
I’m working someway towards the career at the moment, though I think the stable income, house & other things will be a while off yet. But they can wait, I’d rather take the leap of faith & follow my heart now, whilst I still can, than get a ‘normal’ job that pays well & always wonder what if. It’s terrifying & exciting me all at the same time. I’m being quite secretive about it all at the moment, as I don’t want to shout about it prematurely, before everything is in place & sorted, but I’m hoping all will be able to be revealed soon! I’m excited to share it with you guys!
I recently did an interview with the lovely Jantine over at Bleaq on my 6 favourite artists & designers too – check it out here. If you love dark art, then you really should pay Bleaq a visit, Jantine always finds the most beautiful works & I never fail to leave inspired. Just a warning though, you may lose yourself there for quite a few hours!
Jenny says
Such an inspiring post I really love personal posts and it’s amazing to think you are 25 you don’t look a day over 21 haha! as for settling down your right you should follow your heart and focus on your career and I have loved all your designs from the start and was hoping you would make a business out of it as your designs really are unique and something people would be interested in including myself :) You have true talent and should focus on it and really make something of it. A normal job would be good for the time being to set up and figure things out that you want in life however but you should never regret anything and do what you feel is right and love! <3
P.s Happy Birthday :D
FAIIINT says
Thanks Jenny, I’m glad you found it inspiring! I’m thinking of incorporating a few more personal posts every now & again, as I love reading them on other blogs too.
Thankyou for such nice words too, you’ve really made my day! It’s always such a boost to hear others say they love & would wear my designs, it gives me confidence that I am making the right decision, even though it seems scary now! :)
heather says
Firstly Happy Birthday!!! You and my fiance share bdays! :) Hope you have a fantastic one.
Secondly being in your 20s kind of sucks when you think about how unsettled your life really is lol I’m turning 27 in Sept. and the only thing I’ll have checked off is being married (well planning a wedding for 2014). As I have come to learn your 20s is really about finding out who you are, what you want in life, love, happiness, and a career. Then its the process of seeking and getting what you want. I honestly thought I would have a crisis about turning 30 but I’m actually looking forward to it. I’m hoping by the time I’m 30 I’ll have my life a little more settled…lol
Also that bottom picture of Nico is ridic cute! <3333
<3
heather
fashionistanygirl.com
FAIIINT says
Aww! That’s so cool! I hope he had a lovely one too! :)
Yeah, you are so right. I think we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to be settled, because that’s how our parents were at this age, but we forget that they were such different times. Now it’s normal (as a woman) to go after your career first before settling down & doing the whole marriage & kids thing. Plus we are all living longer & healthier lives, so we have more time to spend being unsettled! ;)
Lauren says
Hey I’m 29 this year and don’t feel ready for any of that either!
Sarirah says
Happy Birthday! :)
I feel in a similar place at the moment. I’m trying to follow my career dreams now before I have to “grow up”. I hope what you are working on works out well for you. It’s the best feeling to work on something you love. The best of luck! :)
FAIIINT says
Thankyou! :)
Yeah, that’s exactly how I feel – I know if I don’t take the leap now, come 30 or so I will have to grow up & get myself together. So I figure this way I have at least a few years to try it out, see if it works out & if it doesn’t, I can always get myself a normal 9-5 after. I hope it works out for you too :)
sahra says
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I totally know how you feel; I put a lot of pressure on myself to have my life together when really I should just sit back, relax and accept that things will come in time.
Good luck and I hope 25 is great to you!
XO Sahra
EffortlessCool
Don’t Forget to enter my giveaway to win a custom monogram necklace!
Jessica says
Happy Birthday!!
25 is a wonderful age, quarter life crisis and all. And speaking as someone who also does not feel like a proper grown up yet at the age of 33 (ahem!), you really do have SO much time to be settled down. Make the most of your twenties and enjoy the ride!
FAIIINT says
Thankyou, I will definitely keep that in mind & it’s nice to know that I’m not the only one to feel this way! To be honest though, I don’t think I will ever feel like I’ve truly grown up – in my head I’ll always be 21! ;)
Josie says
Happy Birthday! HA when I was younger I thought I’d have all that by 20, isn’t it funny how our twenties seem ancient when we’re little? I hope everything works out for you, sounds exciting whatever it is! Hope you’ve had a fab day and have been spoilt loads xxx
FAIIINT says
I know, what I would give to be little again when all this grown up stuff seemed sooo far away! And I had a lovely day thankyou :)
Hannah says
Happy birthday (again!) lovely, 25 sounds so old doesn’t it. I’m going to be 25 on December 1st, and in my head it feels like an age I don’t want to reach yet! I think a lot of us imagined the same things for ourselves in our young heads, married, kids, career! It’s weird because even though that’s what where we thought we’d be, like you, I don’t feel ready for it either! I’d like a house of some shape, but that’s because we want to move to Leicestershire to be close to my family and friends.
I think you’re right in following your heart, I wish you the best of luck in your adventures! I can’t wait to hear more :) I really loved seeing the collection of photos of you together on Bleaq – your style is impeccable Stephanie! The work of Roversi is breathtaking, I’ve never come across his work before, but I’m definitely going to do some more research now that your interview has introduced me to him. I love the fact that your taste is so diverse, such a range of styles and subjects. I hope you’ve had the best day, and that your birthday wishes come true. xxx
FAIIINT says
That’s exactly how I felt! I do think it has a lot to do with looking at our parents though & thinking ‘they had all of this when they were younger than I am now!’ It’s a scary thought, but I guess that was the way things were then, you got married, got a house & had kids, and it’s so different now. We have so many more opportunities & it seems a crime to just settle down before exploring them properly!
Glad you found the Bleaq interview inspiring too & that I introduced you to Roversi, he is an incredible talent :)
ROXTHEFOX says
First of, these pictures are gorgeous and look so artistic. Secondly, I totally feel your pain! I turned 25 three weeks ago and went through similar emotions, aka quarter life crisis! In my culture, 25 is the ultimate kiss of death. If you’re not married by 25, you have ultimately failed in life haha. And I too thought I’d be in a much different place, but I guess life doesn’t pan out the way we always want it to, right? I’d say, embrace it and enjoy life. Oh and Happy Belated birthday!!
http://WWW.ROXTHEFOX.COM
FAIIINT says
Haha! Oh no! I guess at least here there is not so much pressure to be married, though my gran is pestering me so that she can buy a hat! ;) You are right though, if you’re having a good time & enjoying life, what’s the rush? I definitely intend to embrace it more & worry less from now on :)
Grom says
Lovely comments from your bloggers friends – bless them. WISH I was 25 again !!! XX
miranda says
You are not old!!!! Geeze. LOL. Even if I am not quite there yet, I ALWAYS said that 30’s would be my best years, because I would be more established… Cheers, and Happy Bday!
XX,
Miranda
FAIIINT says
Hahaha! That’s a really great way at looking at it though, I like that ‘more established’ :)
Oroma says
OMG, we share the same birthday. Happy belated birthday! I just turned 19 and 25 seems so far away. I hope you had an amazing day and that everything works out the way you want it to!x
O.R.R’s BLOG
FAIIINT says
Oh, wow! I hope you had a wonderful day too, I would love to be 19 again! ;)
Pourquoi moi? says
Happy b-day for U!!!!
Kisses from Spain
New post: http://pourquoimoi.es/pourquoi-raquel/
See U
Jantine says
Hope you had a nice birthday! I think 25 is a great moment to have a “quarter life crisis” and make some changes: you’re old enough to not do anything (too) stupid and young enough to make a change if your plans don’t turn out the way you want them to. Oh my, I sound like I’m 82 instead of 28 :P I’m sure you’ll do fine, the best of luck with your plans!
And thanks for mentioning Bleaq, it was awesome featuring you! :) <3
FAIIINT says
Yes, that’s so true! Those are my thoughts exactly, I’ll give it a few years & if it doesn’t work out, I still have plenty of time to change things or get a normal 9-5 job if I need to. At least that way I will not have to look back with regret, for not at least trying whilst I had the chance.
No problem, I loved doing it & it was a good excuse to share Bleaq with the readers too :)
Sonia says
Oh man I felt the same way, but it’s funny because I look at ‘younger’ gals and then I look at people my age and I’m like I don’t look THAT old, I certainly don’t feel it. I feel like I’m still 22 or something not 27 (eeeeek I can’t believe I just typed that!) and definitely thought I’d have my shit together by now LOL. Everyone is getting married around me, then will come babies OMG! I always thought I’d be married at 24 and have a kid at 27 or 28 like my mum. I thought that was reasonable back then, since most people around me talked about having kids before 25 but looking at it now there is no way I’m ready for something like that! No f**** way! Hahaha I could have settled down but I’m focusing on doing something even better – breaking away from everyone else who is doing the married thing and working 9-5 I want to follow my dreams and if I make it, holy f*** I made it! If I don’t well I’ll be a middle aged woman still living at home with six dogs but at least I won’t die having this kind of regret weighing heavy on me, wondering what could have been. I love that you’re following your dreams, I know you’ll make it darling. You are so incredibly talented and special!
Happy (belated) Birthday and sorry for rambling on; I’ve been doing too much of this today LOL
SDMxx
http://www.daringcoco.com
FAIIINT says
Yeah, in my head I’m still 21 I think! I sometimes even do that embarrassing thing of when people ask how old you are going ‘um…. twenty… three, no four!’ (now five!) Haha!
A lot of my friends are married & have kids now too, it’s scary, but they were always the ones who wanted to settle down. I don’t think that even in 5 years, at 30, I will be ready for it either if I’m honest! Hah! We are all living longer anyway, so technically we have more time to be young & careless! ;)
I completely agree with you as well, to me following your dreams & making it, accomplishing something with my life is much more important to me than settling down. Regrets are the worst thing, and I want to have as few as possible. I think there’s so much truth in that saying “No one looks back on their life & regrets the things they did, only the things the didn’t”
And don’t worry about the ramble, I always enjoy reading them! :)
steph says
happy belated birthday gorgeous! hah – i think i know how you feel… but 25 is really still pretty early days, i’m on the other side of 30 now and still feel like i am 21 some days! and how beautiful is sid, our other cat is going on 18! ;) love that picture of nico too, made me laugh! hope you had a wonderful time xx
FAIIINT says
Thanks Steph! :) I think we will always feel that way, my Mum still says she feels that age in her head sometimes too. Sid is such a beautiful cat, Ollies family rescued him when he was a scruffy little abandoned kitten on deaths door & it’s amazing to think he came from that & is still going so strong, even if he is going a little grey! He still hunts & catches the mice in the barn & everything!
Laura says
Good luck with the career bit and who is that gorgeous fluffly black cat??
xXx
FAIIINT says
He is my boyfriends family’s cat, he’s 16 years old & his name is Sid! :)
NotJustAPrettyDress says
(Once again) Happy birthday Steph! I hope you enjoyed your special day of celebrations and I completely understand when you say that you don’t feel your age…I’m 34, so imagine I had to deal with the ‘change of decade’ crisis! But I can tell you that as long as you embrace your life with the right attitude, you can do whatever you want with it and when you feel ready! I can assure you that plans and dreams keep changing every year and that’s the beauty (and the challenge) of growing up. I wish you all the best! Caterina
Designer Binary says
Hope you have an awesome birthday. I’ve got to say everything my parents told me was right, like feeling young even as we get older, and how carefree life is and how we should appreciate that. Life can certainly be confusing and difficult.I think the being scared part for me passed after 25 and now I’m over 30 I couldn’t care less. I think I’ll never grow up in terms of a ‘normal’ job or lifestyle or my mentality and I don’t feel we should. Society places the pressure on us to feel like we should be a certain way, place or career by a certain age and its terrible. I’m sure most people feel that after 25 we are still finding ourselves and need to in order to make better choices for ourselves. I think we find our strength of character later on and in tern let go of what we should or shouldn’t do and actually go with how we feel and what we truly want to do. Hope you enjoy exploring what you love to do, I believe when we follow our passions it almost always works out x
Erin says
I just found your blog & really like it so far ;-) Saw this post & the ‘quarter life crisis’ and felt drawn to comment because that’s what I called it when I turned 25 too, in addition to sharing the same bday haha crazy. Anyway, I felt the same when I turned 25… it was a big WTF am I doing with my life/aren’t I supposed to be a grown-up? moment & the first of a few that seem to revisit every 5 years or so. I just turned 35 this year & to me that sounds OLD omg, but it’s all a state of mind. I certainly don’t feel 35, have been told I don’t look 35 at all & don’t have the stereotypical mindset of what you think a 35 yr old would act like. The best thing I can tell you is live by your own rules & what works for you, not what you ‘think’ you should be doing by a certain age because it’s what the everydude is doing. Don’t fall into the preconceived notion that you should own a house by this age, or be married by that age…only do it if it is truly right for you. I fell into that a little – when I was 27 I bought a condo with my fiance & we mainly thought it was a good idea because it was ‘an investment’ & a bunch of our friends were buying them in the same development so it’d be great to be close to everyone. Didn’t think about the what if’s like – what if we want to move & how do we handle the property – sell, rent it etc, etc. Needless to say, now that we want to move back to my hometown of Philadelphia, which is 550 miles away from where I live now, it’s a lot trickier than just ending a lease, getting a new apartment, packing up and going. So yeah, do your own thing & don’t worry if it goes against the grain of what’s ‘normal’. Best of luck to you, you have a pretty cool thing going – I look forward to continued reading :-)
FAIIINT says
Hi Erin! Thankyou so much for such a nice comment, so glad to hear you’ve enjoyed reading too! :) And how random that we have the same birthday?!
I think the whole do your own thing is slowly starting to sink in for me. A lot of my friends already have houses, are married, have kids & it just seems like they have accomplished so much more than I have by this age & actually have physical things to show for it too. But then I remember that for them that was their big plan, they wanted to settle down young – whereas I didn’t (and still don’t!) want marriage, kids .etc yet, I want a career, to travel, to basically not be tied down & I’m starting to realise that’s ok! :) Thankyou for this, it’s nice to see it from someones point of view who’s been there & had similar feelings about it. I’m glad to know you still don’t feel 35 as well! My grandad & gran have always said they still feel 18 (and they still act that way too!) so I hope I can say the same when I’m their age! :)