Sometimes, it’s not fun being the “late bloomer” out of everyone else you know. Even if people tell you that “your time will come”, you can’t help but wonder when that will be. And what’s more frustrating is that some people would ask you why you are not there yet or why you haven’t accomplished a simple milestone in your life. Makes us late bloomers wonder what’s wrong with us, but really, we are just on our own timelines.

As someone who has not reached certain milestones in her own life, being a late bloomer is not exactly fun. To be honest, I definitely felt left behind by my peers sometimes. For example, when I was in high school, almost everyone was getting their driver's license without any issues. As for me, I had major anxiety, and I couldn’t grasp the whole driving concept. Some of my high school peers would give me looks and ask me why I didn’t have my license yet but had my own car. It saddens me that they just don’t get it or understand my problems.

I didn’t get my license until after I graduated from high school. I got it, thankfully, before my permit expired. Still, to this day, I get anxious sometimes when I drive. Looking back at it, I’m glad I waited longer than expected to get my license. Cause by the time I took the test, I was ready with confidence. I passed on my first try.

There were other times in my life when I’ve felt left behind or that I started late. A few examples are that I didn’t start performing until I was in college, I didn’t start my pageantry career until I was 24, I still live with my parents under their roof today to save money, and to this day still, at the age of 25, I still haven’t had my first kiss or my first relationship. Looking back at everything that has happened, it all happened at the right time and for a good reason. I’m on my own timeline.

To anyone else who is a late bloomer and feels bad that they are not where they are “supposed to be in their life”, you’re not alone. Everyone is on their own timeline. However, the media doesn’t show you that. They only show you that you have to move out of your parent's house when you’re 18, get married at 22, and have children at 25 etc. Your life isn’t over if you don’t accomplish everything before turning 30. 

Know that you have time. Everything will fall into place when the time is right. What’s meant for you will come to you. Being a late bloomer would teach you that some things are worth waiting for. We are all still figuring out who we are in this world we live in and learning who we are. No one is alike; everyone is different. Don’t expect someone to have the same timeline as you.

Being a late bloomer can actually be a positive thing to embrace. When you accomplish a milestone or experience a life event later in your life, you’ll be happy that you did because it was the right time when you were actually ready.