Maybe I talk (write?) about this too much, but I’m constantly working on my transition from “student” to “educated functioning adult.” Now that I’m out of school, my goals are broad, far-reaching, and scarier than ever. Suddenly, success isn’t measured by a number, by a grade, or by how many parties I can fit into my weekend and still ace that test on Monday. Now, it’s totally up to me to define my own success, and I’ve found that a bit overwhelming at times.
I have so many goals, but it’s up to me to determine how to accomplish them. There is no syllabus out there that will map out how to ace my life. Lately, I’ve found myself looking for answers in the biographies of those I deem “accomplished.” What were they doing when they were 21? I search through blogs of my peers who are traveling the world and living off the success of their own creative endeavors. Sometimes this gets me down on myself. I get discouraged. Shouldn’t I have started my career by now? Shouldn’t I be traveling? Shouldn’t I be out there living my life instead of just going through the motions of paying my bills and getting by? Then I realize, all I can do is just live my own life. It’s time to stop worrying about the successes (or failures) of those around me. It’s time to just focus on me. (For more about how I’ve learned to accept happiness into my life, check out my article here).
Over the past few months, I’ve gotten a lot better at functioning in the “real world.” Actually, I’ve gotten a lot better at just functioning in general. Identifying my life goals, and focusing on them every day, has helped me to live a better life. I have a long way to go, and I’ve realized that there are a lot of little things that I should be doing regularly that would greatly enhance the quality of my life. It’s time to put them down on paper. It’s time to commit.
- Meditate daily
- Practice yoga
- Eat clean
- Drink lots of water (already doing this)
- Spend more time outside
- Unplug (impossible to do at work, but I need to do this more at home)
- Read outside regularly (I do this often, but I need to really commit to doing it everyday)
- Keep my office and living space clean and tidy
- Sit less, stand more
- Stop complaining
- Smile often, even when I don’t feel like it
- Plan ahead (make my lunch, set the coffee maker)
- Follow a budget
- Transfer money to my savings account every month
- Stop worrying about the future
- Submit my work to be published
- Be happy by my own standards
Everything on my list is entirely doable. It’s up to me to commit and do the work.
What are you doing to lead a more well-balanced life?
Dana Johnson 