carpe diem

I still remember when I was a young teen and he was playing a Nirvana song and he stopped it at this one line: “I miss the comfort of being sad”

He told me that when you start to get better, there’s a part of you that misses being sad and that if you start feeling that way you have to be extra extra aware and careful because if you indulge the feeling you’ll go down a self-destructive spiral

And even though that was years and years ago, I think about it all the time. Especially when I’m reading discourse on the idea of getting so attached to mental illness as an identity that you don’t want to improve things because you feel safe in it and don’t know who you are without it

if it takes less than two minutes, do it now

always carry a water bottle!! you’ll (obviously) drink more water but you’ll also save money on buying drinks when you’re out on hot days 

if you notice something you like about someone, tell them. genuine compliments are way too few and far between. 

when you meet someone, repeat their name back to them. it’ll help you remember it (bc i am the worst at zoning out and immediately forgetting someone’s name)

give yourself a time limit to get work done. you’ll do more up against a 30 minute timer than if you have all day to get something done

also: be specific with your goals. if you want it done by winter, say you’ll do it one november 15. it’s easy to let time slip by. 

no one’s forcing your friends to hang out with you. they want to be around you. don’t try to convince yourself otherwise. 

never under estimate the power of a hot meal if you’re feeling unmotivated. take a break and make a grilled cheese dude

always keep $20 in your car for emergences

have a binder/folder to keep all your financial/important documents together. even if you don’t organize them beyond that it’ll make them so much easier to find when you need them

don’t sleep w makeup on!! keep a travel size thing of makeup wipes by your bed for nights that you’re too exhausted to wash your face for real

if you’re studying/working and can’t focus, go outside and take a walk around the building. stare at the sky for a minute. it helps.

networking: when you meet someone, put some notes in with their contact. remembering their kids’ names will make you stand out

fold your clothes while they’re still warm + you won’t have to iron later

get that chair out of your room. we all know your dirty clothes are sitting in it more than you are.

instead, stick some hooks on your closet door for those sorta-clean, sorta-dirty clothes that you wanna wear again

keep a running list on your phone of songs you hear that you like, books you want to read, etc

write down all your friends birthdays!! 

if you can’t sleep, try to imagine something in great detail. design your dream house. plan your wedding. whatever makes you happy + relaxed

get dressed as soon as you get up, even if you aren’t going anywhere. it’s hard to feel productive in sweat pants.

if you don’t ask, the answer is always no

thrift stores are super trendy lately, but they really are great for finding high-quality clothing for cheap.

don’t read the comments section. especially if it’s something you actually care about.

fresh veggies go bad fast, so if you can’t get to the store often have a couple frozen bags of your favs on hand!!

also, pasta is crazy cheap and easy to make into a meal. add some olive oil and those frozen veggies and bam, grown up meal in no time.

be intentional with your friendships. if you want to see someone again, set a date instead of the old “let’s get coffee sometime!” that never actually happens

libraries exist!! and theyre fantastic!!! 

if you’re buying anything, always google “_______ coupons” while you’re in line. you can usually find one, esp at chains!!

if it’s not something you need, put it back and sleep on it. if you want it bad enough to go back and get it a day or two later, it’s (probably) worth the money.

also, think if you’ll enjoy it for the same amount of time if took to earn that money. doesn’t work with everything (food, experiences), but for things like clothes/technology/home goods, it can help you save some $$$

you don’t have to do something if it makes you unhappy. sure, there are times that you have to suck it up and power through, but 99% of the time you have to option to say no and get outta there. 

if you are looking for some good habits to implement into your morning routine, consider drawing a few from this list :)

1. Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up.

Why? This will help your body get rid of toxins, improve your metabolism, increase your level of alertness, help you rehydrate, and more.

How? Keep a glass of water next to your bed and make it a habit to fill it up before you go to sleep. Or, simply make it a habit to drink water when you get down to your kitchen.

2. Get out of bed immediately after waking.

Why? Hitting snooze multiple times leaves you more tired than you were when you first woke up because of the incomplete sleep cycles you just made your body suffer through. Also, getting up instead of scrolling on your phone will help your brain reinforce that the bed is for sleeping only, thus making going to sleep at night easier.

How? Set your alarm across the room so you have to get up to turn it off. If the cold makes you want to get back into bed, keep a throw on top of your bed that you can wrap around you.

3. Make your bed.

Why? I used to not make my bed (I am a messy person by nature) because I would just think that the bed would get messed up that night anyway. But making my bed now makes me feel good, because I’m already accomplishing something early in the day. It sets my day off to a productive start. Also, it looks nice, and I like getting into a folded bed at the end of the day.

How? Just do it as soon as you get out of bed. Also, once you fold your bed, you’re less likely to get back in it.

4. Don’t use electronics until you are at work/school.

Why? It’s hard to find times to disconnect from the world and have a little me-time. I think it’s important to allot time for introspection and self-reflection.

How? Turn your phone on Airplane mode before you go to sleep and then only use it to wake up. Better yet, buy an actual alarm clock and turn your phone off at night.

5. Eat a healthy breakfast.

Why? Eating breakfast energizes you, reduces your cravings later in the day, increases your concentration, and more. Start your day off right!

How? You can prepare your breakfast the night before or include it in your meal prep for the week. Or, if you want to make your breakfast in the morning, you can make it an enjoyable experience by listening to music, a podcast, or an audiobook.

6. Remind yourself of what you’re looking forward to.

Why? Mornings can suck if you aren’t a morning person. Revving yourself up for the day can make getting up feel worth it. 

How? Make a list of things you are looking forward to the night before so you can look at it in the morning.

7. Stop drinking coffee.

Why? Dependence on coffee sucks, especially when you try to get off it. Also, dependence decreases caffeine’s effectiveness. There are plenty of other options. 

Reflected reeds