A Life That’s All About Relationships Is Boring, Make Sure You’re Not Missing Out On These Things
Yeah, OK, being in a relationship is great, and it's something that a lot of us have on our list of things that we want from our lives. But sometimes it can be easy to forget that we are our own individual person and that life is so much more than going on a string of dates trying to find that perfect person.
Figuring Out Your Priorities
First and foremost, what do you want from the world? What's important to you? Are you someone who really wants a family? Are you someone who wants to give their career their all? Do you want to land somewhere in the middle? These are all important things you should spend time figuring out.
If you think you have your priorities worked out, keep checking in with them. They're bound to change as you change.
A Career That Makes You Happy
You don't have to be someone who makes their career their life to be someone who deserves to work at a job that doesn't make them hate their life. Working a crappy job is a rite of passage, but make sure that you're not staying stuck in a place that is bad for you. Find something that you feel is fulfilling or something that helps you live comfortably while you work toward other things that will fulfill you.
Finding Happiness In Yourself
It can be really hard to like ourselves all the time, but it's something we have to learn how to do. You're stuck with yourself, and it's so cliché, but if you don't have your back, who else can you count on? Getting in touch with yourself is something that's so important to do because it will make so many other aspects of life easier.
Having Great Friends In Your Life
We are the sum of the people we spend our time with, so make sure you're spending time with people who lift you up and encourage you to be the best version of yourself.
Let go of toxic relationships and people who don't fit into your life anymore, and spend time investing in the people you really believe are there for you.
You Should Always Be Challenging Yourself
Growing and learning go hand in hand, so you should always be doing something that challenges you. Maybe it's something little like trying to read a book you hated in high school, or maybe it is something bigger like questioning what your beliefs are or where you fit in the world. Either way, you're going to learn new things, things you'll probably be glad to know.
Make Sure You're Experiencing New Things
New experiences will help you push your boundaries and discover parts of yourself you didn't know were there. If you're really brave, you can try traveling alone. If that isn't in the cards for you right now, then take a class in something that interests you, or take yourself out to dinner and be comfortable sitting on your own.
Looking After Your Mental Health
I don't think I need to tell you how crazy the world is and how much that can weigh on a person. That's why it's so important that you spend time looking after your mental health. That might look different to different people, so make sure you understand what you need.
Do you need time alone? Do you recharge better with people you love? Do you need to turn off your phone for a couple of hours every night? What is going to keep you feeling safe and sane?
Looking After Your Physical Health
Life is really busy, I think we all feel that way a lot of the time. But working on your physical health is just as important as your mental health. In fact, they actually tend to go hand in hand. You can still have your pizza and your lattes, but make sure you're eating well, too, and throwing a bit of exercise in there as well.
Finding Time To Be Really On Your Own
For a lot of people, being alone is not an easy thing to do, but it's something that's necessary to learn how to do. You don't have to spend every moment on your own, but maybe once a week, take the time to sit down and just be quiet in your own company. Creating this habit for yourself will help you stay in touch with your needs and carve out that time you need to take care of yourself.
Developing Your Own Hobbies And Interests
When we are younger, we all have something we like to do or something that we excel at, but as we grow, a lot of us lose touch with those things.
Look back on some of your old hobbies, or make a list of things that interest you know and give one of them a go. Having that thing you know you can turn to will help you make time for yourself and help your mental health.
Being Independent
Being independent is hard, and it means different things for different people. For some, it could mean doing things on their own, and for others, it could mean relying on other people but ultimately making their own decision.
Being independent is something you will always be glad you found the time and courage to do, and it will help you with all the other things on this list.
Making Sure You're All Caught Up On Your Stories
OK, this one is maybe not that important, but there is something to be said about taking time to just enjoy things. If you want to binge all of Pretty Little Liars or read your favorite books from your childhood, you should absolutely do those things. Not everything has to be so serious and constructive all the time.
Making Time For The Little Things
Maybe you wanted to go check out the exhibit at the museum that's currently on, or maybe you felt like taking a walk around the mall just to get out of the house, or maybe you've been meaning to repot your plants but haven't had time to. These are some of the little things that you should just do when you want to do them.
Not only will they be one less thing on your "to-do" list, but it could also be something you needed to do to give yourself a little break.
Staying In Touch With Family
Not everyone is close with their family, and that is totally fine. Everyone's relationship with their loved ones is different. However, there are people in all of our lives we wish we did a little bit of a better job staying in touch with, so why not just do that?
Learning How To Handle Rejection
This one is tough. Learning how to handle rejection isn't just something you need to learn to do in the dating world, but also in the world of work, friendship, personal projects, and pretty much everything. Sometimes, you're not going to get what you want or things aren't going to work out, and you have to find a way to be OK with that.
Being The Person You Needed When You Were Younger
This one is cheesy, and I'm sure you've heard it before, but trying to be the person you needed when you were younger is just another way of making sure that you check in with yourself and ask if you're happy with the person you are. Is there more you could be doing? Are there things about yourself or your life you find disappointing?
Learning To Stand By Your Decisions, Even The Bad Ones
Every decision we make is going to have some kind of consequence. It's important that we learn how to own up to our decisions and stand by them, even if it means admitting that it was the wrong one to make.
Understanding How You Treat Others
Humans are very complicated creatures, and we can be full of mysteries. Is there something you do that always catches you off-guard? Like, do you rage when someone cuts you off or stalk someone's social media intensely if they ghost you? Where are these behaviors coming from and are they healthy ones to hold onto?
Working On Your Standards
Your standards are going to change as you learn and grow, but it is important you come to an understanding with yourself about what you're willing to compromise on and what you're not. And that isn't just in relationships, but in every aspect of life, including the standards you hold yourself to.
Being OK With Being Single
This one is a big one. Being single is what it is. For a lot of people, it isn't ideal, but you really never will be happy in a relationship until you learn how to be happy being on your own. It will help you develop all these skills we've talked about that will, in turn, make you a more confident version of yourself.
