The wonderful world of 'adulting'
As the summer begins to draw to an end and the school year begins…wait a minute, I’M DONE!!! I keep referring to September as “once the school year begins…” only to correct myself, remembering that I am no longer a student and am now doing this whole ‘adulting’ thing our generation seems to be calling real life. It’s crazy to imagine not being in school after spending most of my soon to be 23 years enrolled in an educational institution. To be honest, I have never been happier and less stressed. I think the lack of school and my motivation to create an amazing career have something to do with it :)
Reflecting back on April 28th, when I handed that last exam in, I am trying to replay the last four months in my head. What have I done all summer? WORK! I absolutely love my job and am excited for the upcoming adventures I will have; but seriously, life is passing by so quickly now! In school, you focus on getting to Thanksgiving, then midterms, then Christmas break, etc. with small goals and targets to keep you on track. Although being in school requires a routine, in the working world, it doesn’t matter the season, the work never leaves. Each week seems to be going by faster and faster leaving me with the question, “What have I done all week?!”
As I now enter this September as a full time person in the workforce, I am going in with another motto to keep me going: “Stop and smell the roses”. Many people use this statement when life seems to be passing by fast as a reminder to enjoy the little things. For me, as much as I am in love with this career I have created for myself, at times, I too feel as though I am going through the motions and not thoroughly enjoying each moment I get every day. My goals heading into the ‘school year’ consist of:
- Being in the moment. Take each experience in. The most amazing things and those not so amazing stressful times. Each moment teaches us a lesson that allows us to grow and change. If we let ourselves get caught up in going through the motions, we can forget to appreciate the experiences that are happening right before our eyes.
- Having fun! I am extremely focused on my career goals and I recognize that now when I am fresh and eager, the time is now more than ever! However, I must remember that if I am not taking the time out of my hustling to enjoy the people and space around me, then I don’t get the opportunity to come back refreshed and reenergized to keep going.
- Taking risks. I am not much of a risk taker simply because I am afraid of failing. I am a perfectionist and must be perfect before trying anything new. However, I do recognize that in order to be the best we must challenge our boundaries and push past our comfort zones to gain new experiences. I have recently taken up golf…my perfectionistic tendencies and this game do not go hand in hand, but I am working on it! I want to grow and change in the best of ways and taking risks is how I am going to start. I first need to master my short game :)
Entering a new phase in your life does not always have to be a drastic change. I am never going to forget the lessons – life or academic – that I learnt while in school, but small changes now have to be made here and there. I am now fully in charge of my life schedule and I am taking this time to make sure I stay on top of it. It’s easy to slip into habits, but it’s definitely necessary to pay attention so that I can now enjoy every aspect of my ‘adulting’ life.
e fierce. Be strong. Be vibrant.
Rachel
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