This is 26

There is no theme song for this age. Taylor Swift told me that "when someone tells you they love you, you're going to believe them" at 15...and she told me that I was "feeling 22" a few years later. Yet for 26...nothing. No Swift guidance on where to be, what to feel or what catchy lyric I should be dancing to.

26.

I'm not against it.

My Parents and I kind of saw the day as a day none of us planned for. 25, sure, I could be that...but 26...how? When?

I never planned that far. I planned college...not how fast I would go through it but I planned it. I planned working in the film industry...not exactly this department or the incredible journey I have had, but it was thought out.

Moving to Nashville. Not planned out.

Living with my parents after eight years of building my life in Atlanta. Not planned.

Here's the thing. If you are meeting me for the first time, in Nashville, my life looks very different then what it did just a short four months ago. I had an apartment decorated and designed with my own touch of living. My friends in my small town knew there was always an adventure right outside of my door...or right inside depending on weather, game nights, acro and, well, anything else I could find.

My car was known for being the adventure car. I worked hard in the film industry on titles even I can't believe I was given a chance to be apart of. I loved volunteering at my church on days I didn't work. The weekdays I got off early were reserved for climbing at the gym. Weekends were for road trips, climbing and acro adventures...unless it was summer then it was running or kayaking to the local waterfall.

My 26 year old life in Nashville is a bit different.

I traded my independent self for a life lived in the walls of my parent's new home. At first I felt incredibly embarrassed by this because I have worked so hard on building up my life to where I was proud of it.

Truthfully though, I wasn't aware of how much I NEEDED to be back in a home filled with people I love.

I had been through so much life in Atlanta that I wasn't aware of how independent I had become. I know one of the first weeks on set I came home around 11pm to my cat yelling at me. I went upstairs and had totally blanked on having to go get food for her the day before. My Mom asked me why I hadn't told her that Emmie needed food so she could go pick her up some...I told her that it wasn't her responsibility to take care of her.

With out blinking, my Mom grabbed her keys and drove my extremely tired butt to Kroger so I could make sure my little one was happy.

These were things I had shut out because I had depended on JUST me for so long. I had forgotten what community and family is all about. We give and take. We help where we can just because we love one another.

Another example is when my Dad woke up early on a Saturday and picked over 40 worms off of my infested kale because I didn't have the heart to kill them but wanted my kale to also survive.

Unconditional Love. It's going above and beyond, daily, to just help make the other person's day better. It's looking past the flaws and seeing opportunity to learn how to communicate better, love more and find ways to adventure together.

Now...as you can imagine, it isn't easy to explain to a guy that you live with your parents or that you have a cat. If you need any amo on the jokes portion of that and can't seem to write them yourself, my sister has you covered.

I will say this. Dating me only becomes complicated if you aren't a family person. I am not embarrassed by my parents and enjoy their company. They aren't your average parents though...they run, climb, kayak (or at least go to the lake), ride motorcycles and basically are down for any crazy adventure I throw at them. They may be in their early 50s but they have been the only humans to constantly keep up with me and my energy. They are a ton of fun! I guess most parents are restrictive...mine, not at all. I've never once had a curfew in my entire life. I don't have rules that are demanded of me. Honestly, it's like having roommates. We live our lives, yet love each other enough to keep each other updated on what has happened or what our plans are.

I am aware that this is still not an attractive dating scenario for some...but I find paying off debt very attractive. I've been blessed with a season where I have full control of my income with very minimal places for it to funnel out into. This means I have been able to pay off my motorcycle in less than 2.5 years...a birthday present to myself. AND by the end of this year, my student loan will be payed of, in full. Two very significant achievements I am very proud of.

All of this so I can buy my new car for the next chapter of my life...lil' Ewok has been good but dang he doesn't have much left.

Work. Oh my goodness, set life. Seriously in love with Nash Film Life already. Every set I go onto, I already know most of the crew. Friendly faces, so many hugs, talk about climbing and jokes through out the day. There is so much laughter, joy and "I got your back" that I am constantly overwhelmed and amazed by crew members who are so quickly friends. I've always separated my life between friends and film...yet, here, I am finding that they are together, and I love it!

I've also found opportunities that I have never had before. I've been able to take what Atlanta has taught me and really stretch my knowledge to teach or talk to others. I'm finding that I am capable of more than I thought. I'm able to explore ideas, concepts, attempt new things and lean fully on those around me. Atlanta taught me SO MUCH that I have become so comfortable on set. NASH is taking that comfort and throwing it out the window...making me challenge myself at things that scare me enough to vomit.

Also, I think a reason why Nashville already feels like home is because the most important people in my career have all worked with the people I am meeting in Nashville. It feels like I have huge piece of my heart, my mentors and my safety right by my side at all times. Atlanta has always been good to me and it continues to carry me through my career.

So all of this to say...what is 26?

26 is new opportunities. It is taking away the temporary pleasure so you can build a stronger tomorrow by affording the lasting comfort. It is having grace towards yourself about your situation...realizing that this isn't where you planned to be but it isn't where you are going to stay. 26 is taking a hard look in the mirror and finding why anxiety creeps up in certain situations and how to keep that from directly affecting others you care about while mentally taking care of yourself. It is finally figuring out that eating until you want to bust is NOT better then getting a to go box and saving it for later.

26 is being unapologetic about who you are. It is respecting yourself enough to stand up for what you believing in. It is taking risks, trying new things and realizing that this is life...failure is an option and sometimes it is the better one. 26 is finding opportunities to laugh at work, to take the harder job you know nothing about and trusting someone else's vision of your life before your own.

This is finding God in the mundane. In the average day to day life. In the season to pay off debt instead of the season to decorate. It is growing a garden because you never have before and finding that miracles happen under the soil before they are ever shown above.

26 is learning unconditional love. That conversations are gold, people's stories are worth hearing, anger is not an option and doing something you don't want to do just to make someone else's day better is ALWAYS the better choice. It is knowing sleep deprivation is worth it for a cup of tea in the morning just to have a conversation with your parents before everyone separates for the day. It's going on a walk together just to laugh at the wild turkey's running through the grass.

Last but not least, 26 is giving yourself another chance to be vulnerable. A chance to invite someone else into your life. The chance to enjoy each moment...to not demand everything to be perfect or to be Instagram worthy. It's the opportunity to give yourself grace. The option to choose the good over the anxiety. 26 is the chance to enjoy what is here. What is now. The option to delete the stress of every. other. adult. choice. us. girls. create. for. ourselves.

...26 is to enjoy. Enjoy the journey. Enjoy the moments. Enjoy the venerability. Enjoy the tough conversations. Enjoy the awkward moments. Enjoy the random butterflies, heartbeats, confusion, frustration, limitations, opportunities, tiredness, adventures, creativity, breaks, laughter...everything. Take the good, the bad, the ugly and realize that this year, it's all YOU. It's your life. Stop apologizing and start experiencing. FULLY.