Adulting and Romanticizing Your Life
Ok guys it has been a hot minute. I needed to take a little break from writing blog posts’ because I have had so much going on and my brain has been a bit tired! My aim is to post things I actually want to write about and that you will actually want to read. Let’s talk about adulting and romanticizing your life.
This summer I have been working an internship at Morgan Stanley which has been so much fun. I have been learning a lot not only about finance, but about myself and what I like. I have also been teaching yoga and workout classes, tutoring, and doing a lot of the tasks that come along with adulting because my parents haven’t been home. I’m happy that my parents get to live their best lives because they deserve every second of it, but that also means I can’t just come home from college and chill. It has been a challenge working all my jobs, doing all the grocery shopping and cooking for me and my brother, taking care of the dogs, completing applications of all sorts, and cleaning the house. However, I wouldn’t want it to be any other way because of the gratitude and knowledge I gained.
With the world spinning one million miles per minute, I have no option but to take things one step at a time. I have always had a problem with staying in the present moment and not worrying about the future. My worries for one event then cause a spiral of worry and I get caught in a dark hole of anxiety. Even when my to-do list seems to never end, I return to the things that ground me. I take a step back, breathe deeply, and focus on what is in front of me. I usually write everything out. Writing is like a mind dump. You can release all of your stresses onto one piece of paper and work from there. I arrange my tasks into categories of importance and due date. Whatever must be done first is where I put my attention and I force myself to let the rest go no matter how hard it is. I am only (partially) able to let go of the other things because I remind myself that everything will get done, I am doing my best which is more than enough, and the universe only gives me as much as it knows I can handle.
If I put in my full effort I trust that the outcome whether a success or failure is what was supposed to happen. We gain confidence from the successes and knowledge from the failures. It is the yin and the yang that allow us to thrive.
Taking on all these things is nowhere near easy, but the challenge is what allows me to become the best version of myself. I always say that I try to do at least one hard thing each day because then you know you will grow at least little bit every single day. If it was easy, everyone would do it. Separate yourself from the pack and do hard things. It is all mental. Change your mindset and grow.
The mindset that I am portraying to you all is how I keep going, it is how I stay in the fight even when things get tough. Not only do I ground and motivate myself, but I romanticize my life. I honestly think romanticizing your life is such a great way to put gratitude, intentionality, and optimism at the center of your life. Make every task you do each day intentional and try to make it as enjoyable as possible. When you wake up in the morning, put a smile on your face and know that today is going to be a great day. Get your coffee and drink it slowly, hearing the honk of cars passing by and the sways of palm trees. Make your favorite breakfast and even romanticize the healthy foods. The brightness and pop of fruit. The satiety you get from protein. Get dressed and put on your own fashion show. Listen to music, dance around, and watch as the sky fills with light from the sun. Even after a full day of work when exhaustion hits, turn on your music and hype yourself for a great workout. Realize that you are lucky to be able to move your body in the way that you do. You should be grateful to work out and get your heart racing. Yes it is hard, but that is what makes you better.
Even when I think I want to come home and nap the rest of the night, I get up, workout, make dinner, and clean. I do it because it makes me feel powerful and capable. It then makes me enjoy when I can nap instead of thinking of a nap as just some other thing. When you fill your time with tasks that make you stronger in ways you wouldn’t imagine, it makes watching TV and relaxing that much more incredible.
When I started my internship I was so excited, but I was also sad because I wouldn’t get to layout basking in the sun’s glory all day. What I realized is that now, on the weekends when I am able to do that, it brings me an amount of joy that I cannot even express. The work and stress that had built up throughout the week now, on Friday evening, seems to vanish into peace. The way I feel after Saturday morning boxing when my workout is done and the only thing I need to do is exactly what I want to do. The way I feel when I can finally, after doing so much, put my pink bikini on, grab my speaker, and throw down a towel to turn my pale skin into a glistening tan. The first jump into the pool that brings me right back to life. These feelings are the rewards of hard work. When you do really hard things, it makes the easy things so lovely. Earning something rather than thinking you should get it all the time. When you do something all the time you forget how grateful you are for it. If you can lay in the sun everyday, your gratitude exponential diminishes each day. I’m not saying that if you have the time you shouldn’t layout everyday, but be intentional and thoughtful about it. If you don’t have the time, know that the work is what will make the fun so much better.
Through the ups and downs of this summer, I have learned to embrace where I am at and find fun in the little things. I have learned to reflect and use that to push me to where I want to go. Every day is a chance to live life how you want to, don’t waste it on worries and useless tasks.