Want to be the best you that you can be? In Shonda Rhimes’s new book The Year of Yes, she tells us the story of how she turned her life around by opening her mind up to new possibilities. For an entire year Rhimes said yes to everything: new opportunities, spending time with her loved ones, and even being more assertive. Here are few Shonda inspired tips to make this New Year the best one yet.
Yes to “Me Time”
In college it’s easy to get buried under school work. However it’s important to make time for yourself. For Shonda, that means stepping away from writing plots for Scandal sometimes and spending it with her kids. For you, me time is doing anything that you love. Read a book, paint your nails, listen to music. Do what makes you happy. Grades are important, but so is your sanity. Make sure you have a little down time.
Yes to Opportunities
After relaxing, it’s time to get down to business. Don’t be afraid to go after opportunities. Apply to as many internships as you can, and network. Rather than dreaming about your aspirations, work hard to make them happen. In a commencement speech Shonda Rhimes told the graduates “I think a lot of people dream. And while they are busy dreaming, the really happy people, the really successful people, the really interesting, engaged, powerful people, are busy doing. Ditch the dream and be a doer, not a dreamer.” Whether it’s auditioning for a talent show or advancing your career, you can’t just wait for opportunities to fall in your lap. If you want something badly enough, then you have to make it happen for yourself.
Yes to Getting Healthy
Shonda Rhimes lost over a hundred pounds simply by changing her mindset. It’s important to love your body at any size. While losing weight was a great accomplishment for Shonda, it weight loss might not necessarily be for you. However it is important to be healthy and active. Exercising can help to raise endorphins causing you to have a more optimistic attitude. Also eating right and drinking more water can boost your health all around. Want to make getting fit more fun? Look up work out videos from upbeat youtubers like Blogilates or follow a healthy food blog. Shonda also suggests learning to love salads. There are a ton of healthy recipes on Pinterest that are both delicious fun to make.
Yes to Saying No
Sometimes it’s important to know that you can’t say yes to everything. In a college environment peer pressure is everywhere. Sometimes it’s important to say yes to staying true to yourself. Also, students often bite off more than they can chew. You don’t have to sign up for every club or activity. You should definitely take advantage of any opportunity that comes your way. However never take on more than you can handle.
Learning to put yourself first is a challenge. Still, it’s important to know how to take care of yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually. For more information about positivity and self-love, check out Shonda Rhime’s book The Year of Yes.