Happy New Year, everyone! Hope you all spent a lot of time with your loved ones over the winter break. Given the transition into the new year, I thought it would be appropriate to tell you all a few of the things that I've learned through my transition into adulthood. Assuming you care about the juicy details of my mundane life (I mean, why else would you be here?), I'm happy to announce that I've officially entered the world of adulthood. They say one becomes an adult at the age of 18, but aside from my legal status and a credit card, I really didn't have much to show for it back then. Now, at the age of 22, with a degree and real expenses to pay (a Netflix subscription, amirite? Just kidding), I've been thrown into the grown-up world, and forced to adapt whether I like it or not.

I graduated back in June, and shortly thereafter, realized that the seasonal stability of school I had known for the past 18 years was gone. So, like any other regular recent grad facing an existential crisis, I bought a book about adulting. And if you're still confused, just know that adulting has nothing to do with adultery (thank you, Kelly Williams Brown). Fast forward a few months later, and here I am, still a hot mess, but with a little more knowledge about the big-kid-world that I'm happy to share with you:

1. Almost everything on TV right now stinks (sorry, not sorry).

To be honest, I'm not really sure how this relates to adulthood, but I've recently come to the realization that everything- including music, and movies, was just better in the 90's and early 2000's- a.k.a. when I was a kid. Maybe it's the comfort of childhood that has left a soft spot in my heart for shows like 7th Heaven and Full House, but what I know for sure is that they each ran for over five seasons, so no amount of evidence will convince me that they were terrible. With that said, you can't go through life moping about the golden years of TV being over before you were old enough to even understand what they were. You know what they say, "The best is yet to come." And since I briefly got into the subject of music, I feel like now would be a good time to say that Where The Light Is: Live In Los Angeles by John Mayer, released in 2008, is the best album to ever grace the face of the earth. No other album to be released will ever reach its level of superiority. But that's just my opinion. Despite all this, I should also say that if anyone's going to vouch for some crappy, yet highly entertaining TV show, it's definitely going to be me. Guilty as charged, friends. I'm not going to sit here and pretend that I don't like The Bachelor(ette). With that said, no, I would never consider being a contestant on one of those shows. For some strange reason people equate liking these shows with wanting to be on them. I also enjoy watching dolphin shows at Marineland, but at no point in time have I ever wished to be a dolphin.

2. Frugality is your friend

As a 22 year-old trying to balance part-time school, studying for standardized exams, and grad school applications, I've learned that my 20s are hella expensive. I'm finding myself spending money on a zillion things, and if you really want to sign yourself up for a nice chunk of debt and stress-induced hair loss (a.k.a. grad school)- then you're really in for a treat. With that said, be a cheapskate. I'm still learning how to do this, myself. I'll let you all know once I've officially mastered the art of frugality. On a similar note, when I decide to do some recreational spending, I've found that money spent on experiences instead of items is money well-spent. Just something to think about (but again you don't need to listen to me, I'm just thinking out loud).

3. Being in a state of limbo is okay

Sometimes you'll go through seasons of your life where you're in limbo. You won't really know what you're doing, and that is okay. I'll be honest, I really hate ambiguity. However, I've found that such seasons of life, when I'm looking for clarity on my next steps, are the perfect opportunities to cast all of my cares on God, and really press into Him. Whatever your situation, good or bad, God has brought you to this point, and whatever lies ahead of you is meant to build your character and make you into the person He intended for you to be. Know that He is holding your hand through it all. (On that note, if you're in an ambiguous time in your life, I highly recommend you listen to "Thy Will"by Hillary Scott & The Scott Family, and "Trust In You" by Lauren Daigle. They're amazing.)

4. Write everything down

This is what keeps me sane. Too many times I've overestimated my ability of keeping track of my obligations on the basis of pure memory, and it has left me in tight situations. Some people have the ability to keep track of everything in their minds (these people are unicorns), but for normal folk, like myself, agendas are lifesavers. I carry a small planner around with me everywhere I go just in case I need to jot down important pieces of information. I also keep track of all important dates on an electronic calendar, which I've taken the liberty of syncing to all of my electronic devices. #organizationforthenation

5. Your attitude is everything

And I really mean everything. Some people naturally have positive attitudes, and others (like me) have to work a little harder at changing the way they think. Whatever your mental state, try to keep a positive outlook at all times. This will carry you through life. You'd be surprised how much of what goes on around you is a product of your thoughts. Think about it: telling yourself that you'll fail at something only makes you more likely to fail. Negative thoughts are self-fulfilling prophecies. Positive people are successful people. Whatever your measure of success, you'll find that people who main a positive attitude excel at what they do. So with every fibre in your body, try to be a positive person. Also, nothing really depresses the mood in a room quite like a Negative Nancy. Don't be a Nancy (sincere apologies if your name is Nancy).

And that concludes my first thoughts on adulthood. See ya next time!

#adulting #adulthood #lifeadvice #lifestyle #lifehacks #faith #positivity