Times Are A Changin’
It has been awhile! Here are some things that have happened in the past few months. We’ll go into each thing with more detail soon.
1: I am in a boot.
2: I went to Europe!
3: I am about to start my senior year of college.
Yup, I am currently writing this in a coffee shop with a dress, one Birkenstock, and a boot that goes up to my knee on my left foot. Some weird stuff has happened, but I am okay! I am only in it for a week to heal somethings. More on this later.
I went to Europe with my boyfriend for 2 weeks at the start of the summer! He just graduated college so to celebrate we went to France, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. We ate all the food and it was so fun.
Finally, YES, despite my baby face I am about to turn 21, finish my last 35 credits, and graduate with a degree in communication in June. Ya girl is about to enter the real world.
Though these three things may seem totally different and uncorrelated, they have all caused a bit of stress in my life. Being in a boot has made me more self-conscious, and scared I won’t have the break-out year I wanted in cross country and track. Going to Europe was absolutely amazing, but I ate my body weight in ice cream and I overanalyzed how soft my stomach was getting and the fact that my legs were starting to touch each other. Starting my last year of college has made me think about the future, and what I want to do. Not knowing exactly what I want to do is making me panic, fearing that I will end up in a van down by the river. (Anyone get the SNL reference? No? Yeah, me either…)
Despite all the unknowns going on in my life, I have had some pretty great advice thrown my way from some really wonderful people (shoutout, you know who you are). Life is going to throw some crazy curveballs at you. To deal with these changes and surprises, you can either:
a) roll with it and learn to laugh back at it in the future
OR
b) swear the universe is against you, give up, and feel bad for yourself.
This past year, I chose to deal with change in choice “b” quite a bit, and it was not healthy.
I started to second guess my every move, lose a sense of who I was and what I believed in, and pushed loved ones away from me. There were nights where I cried myself to sleep feeling so alone, even though I knew deep down I have amazing friends and family who love me.
So, I decided to change my perception of the world and my life. Sure, somethings really suck (i.e. our current political climate, trolls online, bullies in real life, high gas prices, etc.). BUT, if you just focus on the negatives, you won’t look at the positives, no matter how big or small they are.
I could whine about my boot and how it makes me look silly. I could cry about how I gained a little weight in Europe. I could stay inside and contemplate what I should do with the rest of my life after college. Or, I could enjoy the mess that life is. I can go to the gym, boot and all, and go on the elliptical to stay in shape. I can let that motivate and inspire me to have the best comeback season yet. I can accept the fact that I gained weight (that was probably needed,) and wrap my head around the fact I was fortunate enough had the opportunity to travel abroad at 20 with someone I really love. I can accept the fact that I have no idea what I am doing a year from now. And that’s okay! I am bright, kind, and brave, and I will figure something out.
Sometimes, the things that scare you the most are the things that will be the most memorable, exciting, and enjoyable. I like to think of this as a delicious, triple stack of waffles. Imagine three Belgian waffles, stacked high, with maple syrup and strawberries on top. Will it be an absolute mess? Of course. Is it something that isn’t the most nutritious? Duh. Will you enjoy the heck out of it and remember it for awhile? yuuuuppp. If you decide to not eat the waffles because your fingers may get a little sticky from the syrup, you may miss out on the best waffles you ever had. So, eat the damn waffle! Wash your hands after, and just enjoy it, sticky fingers, messy plate and all.
Find small pleasures in your life, whether that be a great cup of coffee, a beautiful sunrise, or the opportunity to make the best out of a crappy situation.
