I’m a 20-year-old about to graduate from college next year. Honestly, I’m not the person I want to be yet. After graduation, I plan to move to Los Angeles, and I’m unsure if I can trust myself to be that independent yet. I figured that it was time to get myself together.
Being a girl’s girl, I decided to share my plan. Here is my playbook for bettering myself.
- Reading More
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My first call to action is to improve my reading streak. Whether it’s books or magazines, my face is going to be deep in them. In the most self-loving way possible, I can say that I have the worst reading comprehension skills known to man. My brain just doesn’t let me think, and I constantly have to either have the internet or someone else dumb something down for me. Critical thinking is a necessary skill to improve, especially before I move across the country alone.
- Listening to Podcasts
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I recently got myself back into podcasts, and now I can’t go a day without listening. My go-to right now is The Psychology Of Your 20s, hosted by Gemma Sbeg, and she has absolutely changed my life. Each episode dissects a different topic relevant to 20-somethings. She researches that week’s topic and talks about how it affects our psychology.Â
My other two favorites are Anything Goes, hosted by Emma Chamberlain, and The Mel Robbins Podcast, hosted by Mel Robbins (if you couldn’t tell, I love mindset and lifestyle podcasts). I listen to these programs on the way to and from work. I promise you these podcasts will change your life.Â
- Minimizing Doomscrolling
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We are now entering a judgment-free zone: my screen time is off the charts, and not in a good way. I am addicted to my phone, especially TikTok. This app has honestly corrupted my brain; I have such a short attention span, which explains why I struggle to read. Instead of doomscrolling, I aim to spend my time reading or listening to podcasts.
- New Me, New Mindset
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Do what you want to do with your life! Do what you love. Be awkward. Be embarrassing. Who cares? We live on a floating rock; there’s no reason to care about what others think of you. Live your life for yourself, not for anyone else.
On that note, a way I want to practice what I preach is to avoid letting boys dictate my life. Let’s be honest, we have all been there (no judgment). God knows I’ve been there many times. My day would always be controlled by whether a boy would text me back. My emotions were controlled by emotionally unavailable men, but not anymore. I have let myself free and let myself dictate my life.
- Prioritizing Self-Care
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Along with nurturing my mindset, prioritizing self-care is important. It is and should be a main concern because it leads to a better life. I’m eating healthier, working out, taking care of my mental health, and taking care of my body. I truly believe routine self-care is the way to a healthy lifestyle.
Perhaps the most important form of self-care is self-love. This lesson guides all actions and decisions within one’s life. Please, please, please always love yourself, no matter what. Your uniqueness makes you the amazing and beautiful person you are.
I hope my list inspires you to practice self-care in your own life. Remember to always be yourself!