Breakfast Babble is ED’s own little space on the interwebs where we gather to discuss ideas and get pumped up (or not) for the day. We judge things too. Sometimes. Always. Whatever, call it catharsis and join in, people.
Location: Some overly aesthetic, overpriced café with acoustic indie music playing in the background
Order: 40-year-old future me orders black coffee (because life has taught me to love bitterness) in contrast to my 20-year-old me who orders cold coffee with extra whipped cream (because feelings).
I sat down across from her—me, two decades younger. She’s got a sparkle in her eye and heartbreak in her lungs. She thinks this breakup is the end of the world, and I don’t tell her it’s only the third worst one she’ll have. I let her sulk dramatically. She’s earned it.
“Hello,” I say, sipping existential wisdom from my cup.
She nods. Her kajal’s smudged, not from eyeliner trends but from crying over that guy who said she’s too intense.
Ah yes, the infamous heartbreak phase of your 20s—a rite of passage nobody warns you about. You expect adulting to be about taxes and job applications. It is that, of course, but it’s also crying over someone who can’t even spell ‘emotional availability’.
Now, at 40, I look at her and say, “Sweetheart, just because he owns a plant and journals doesn’t mean he’s emotionally evolved. That’s just Pinterest.”
She looks offended. She still thinks her love is different. Unique. Historic.
I let her believe it. That heartbreak? It’s her foundation. She’ll write poetry on it. It’s bad poetry, but it’ll evolve.
Hopelessness: A Temporary Glitch, Not A Personality
20-year-old me is jobless, anxious, and secretly googling “How to be happy without dating a toxic man.” She believes success is a LinkedIn update and happiness is a beach trip with someone who looks good in Reels.
I, the wise and cranky 40-year-old, tell her, “You’re not a failure just because life isn’t going according to your five-year plan. You’re not behind. You’re just in the beta version.”
She rolls her eyes. “Easy for you to say; you look like you have your life together.”
I laugh hard enough to choke on my coffee. “Girl, I just got ghosted by someone named Tarun from badminton class. Life doesn’t get more sorted. You just get better at laughing while crying.”
Lessons I Would Learn From My Future Self
- Rejection is redirection: That boy who left you on read? Thank him. He made space for your glow-up.
- Stop trying to be ‘low maintenance’: You are a Monstera plant, not a cactus. You need emotional watering, and that’s okay.
- Comparison will kill your joy faster than a slow internet connection: Their success isn’t your failure.
- Nobody knows what the hell they’re doing: Even 40-year-old me is winging it. In better shoes, sure. But still winging it.
Also Read: Breakfast Babble: Why Self-Care Is Just A Fancy Word For Napping
The Bill, And A Hug
The waiter brings the bill. 20-year-old me hesitates—should she offer to split? I laugh and pay.
“Consider this your reward for surviving that one year you thought you’d marry that boy who used to borrow your notes and your peace of mind.”
As I get up to leave, she asks nervously,
“Will I be okay?”
I bend down, tuck a loose strand behind her ear, and whisper,
“You’ll be fabulous. You’ll have days when the sky will feel too heavy. But then one random Tuesday, you’ll wake up, and your heart will feel light again. You’ll drink your chai, love your cats, and realise—oh, I didn’t think of him today. That’s healing. That’s life.”
And then I leave, back to my messy, glorious, perfectly imperfect 40s.
If you’re reading this in your 20s, somewhere in a heartbreak haze—hi, you’re not broken. You’re in construction. And you’re not late, lost, or unloved. You’re just… in a plot twist. Hang in there. The best characters always have the most drama in Act 1.
And do you need a sign to move on? This is it. Go. Live. Mess up. Laugh loudly. Love again. The future you is rooting for you—with caffeine and character development.
Sources: Blogger’s own opinion
Find the blogger: Katyayani Joshi
This post is tagged under: 20s life, heartbreak healing, self love journey, emotional glow up, breakup recovery, adulting is hard, healing not hating, coffee and clarity, therapy thoughts, heartbreak to healing, twenties survival guide, crying in your 20s, inner child talk, life after heartbreak, healing is messy, romanticize your healing, confused but trying, mental health matters, overthinking generation, self growth journey, heartbreak humor, Gen Z struggles, healing with humor, emotional rollercoaster, build not break, one day at a time
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