How To Get It Together For The New Year
A few months ago I felt myself in a free-fall trying to grasp something that would make me feel like I had it “together.” The year was tipping closer to my birthday and like every human I started feeling that “less than” itch when it came to where I probably should be at the moment. I was working hard towards a somewhat cool career but I knew that wasn’t going to be happening soon. I decided to look at little things I could do to make me feel more like a well-rounded late twenties human. Here is what I learned that could help get your life together.
Start doing money better. The whole “make a budget” and “save” thing is actually pretty helpful. Say no to extra avocado and make your own coffee. Give money to Planned Parenthood or your local NPR station. Throw some extra money to your student loans or car payment.
Make little changes in your apartment that will make you feel more of a grown-up. Buy a flat sheet or higher thread count. Keep a succulent alive. Get your box spring off the floor and look for a bed frame. Or headboard. Or maybe finally take the box spring out of the plastic wrap. Dust regularly.
Go. To. Fucking. Bed. Don’t wait till you’ve checked every app on your phone, actively ignore your book club’s read, or decide not to turn-in cause it’s before midnight. Just fall asleep.
Eat better. Not healthy but better. Try to limit fast food and maybe add more vegetables here and there. Spend a lot of money at the farmer’s market so you have time-sensitive food to eat. Also drink water- it’s crazy how dehydration can affect your mood so carry around a bottle during the day.
Exercise. Whatever suits you best, do it. I like running but watch some YouTube exercise videos and spend 15 minutes moving. Make your heart beat faster from adrenaline and not comparing yourself to your peers or your aunt’s wishes for your life.
Read more. It doesn’t have to be a book but maybe a long article on The New Yorker website or peruse other news sites. Be informed somewhat of what’s going on out there outside of Twitter and your high school friend’s opinion on politics.
Social Media less. Check Facebook once a day or even log out each time you check it. I get annoyed having to type in passwords so make it hard for you to check out what that one guy you met freshmen year at the quad’s diet looks like.
Go to a doctor! See your dentist twice a year! Do those health visits!
Clean out your car. Stop being friends with people who are negative. Get a library card. Be aware of who the Supreme Court Justices are. Know when your local elections take place and vote. Memorize all the prepositions (it’s fun, trust me.) Volunteer at a hospital. Do shit.
But the best way to get your life together is to wake up, take everything I said above and throw it away. It’s okay to have Pop-Tart crumbs living in the creases of your sheets. It’s okay you still haven’t thrown out that McDonalds cup in your car’s cup holder. Go ahead brush your teeth in the shower and let yourself be vulnerable to another person’s texting habits. More than likely you are in good health, you are able to complain that your parents are worried about you and be grateful you even have a plastic wrapped box spring. Every single thing in life is horrible and great. Don’t have it all together. Don’t force yourself to try to figure it out. Let yourself take in every day and do the best job with it you can. You know how to make your life right, not an Internet list. Do the things that force you to stay up as late as possible because you can be alive and functioning in this goddamn world.
But, you know, maybe do throw out that week old breakfast quesadilla under the passenger’s seat of your car. And fucking get off Facebook, Beth, it’s 2:15am.