I will go ahead and admit that I can be a bit of a drama queen. I am definitely not the peppiest in my friend group and I’m sometimes known for my snide remarks and stubborn attitude. I would classify myself as a borderline pessimist, because every time a small thing in my life would go awry, I would have a full on “bitch-fit” and believe that my life was over.
However, that all changed in May 2019. After classes finally ended and I was stuck at home with nothing to do, I realized that I could do MANY better things with my life instead of staring at the TV screen and hating my life. Here are the details of my 2019 summer mindset glow-up:
BEFORE: Binging Netflix shows and reading sappy romance novels to make the day go by.
I had to learn the hard way that How to Get Away with Murder doesn’t teach me anything useful in life, and that romance novels are just a way for me to keep living in ignorance.
AFTER: Finding volunteer opportunities to make use of my time.
I spent a couple hours a week volunteering at a local hospice and a local food bank. I realized that if I find myself sitting on the couch watching Netflix all day, then I’m not doing anything useful in my life. Keep busy! Get involved with your local community!
BEFORE: Working a retail job that has nothing to do with my career path.
Folding clothes taught me nothing about the human anatomy and patient care. It only taught me how to quickly hide my phone in a drawer whenever I saw my manager coming over.
AFTER: Juggling said retail job + volunteer opportunities + a pharmacy internship!
I will admit that the retail job taught me patience and how to deal with stubborn customers, a few elements that I will have to know if I ever become a pharmacist. However, I was ecstatic at the fact that I was able to land an internship position at a local pharmacy, where I learned a lot about the Top 200 drugs, healthcare insurance, and much more! Know what your career entails and find opportunities that tailor to that.
BEFORE: Falling asleep at 2 in the morning and waking up at 11—also eating a bunch of sugary foods for breakfast.
Chocolate chip pancakes are very, very tempting.
AFTER: Waking up at 8 every morning to work out and being aware of the foods that I eat.
I switched out the chocolate pancakes for some egg whites and toast. This option didn’t tire me out throughout the day and instead gave me the energy I needed as I kept busy throughout the day. Take care of your body, but don’t be afraid to indulge every once in a while.
BEFORE: Isolating myself and automatically turning away any pursuits.
Those romance novels would fill the void in my little inexperienced heart and I’d spend my nights living in a daydream instead of living my life.
AFTER: HOT. GIRL. SUMMER.
Pretty self-explanatory. I learned what I wanted and put up with no BS. Know your worth and never settle for less. Granted this experience didn’t end the way that I liked, however, I learned to lean on my friends and trusted them to talk about my issues. This experience definitely brought us closer and I learned to open up about vulnerable topics.
BEFORE: Thinking the world was out to get me and taking every problem personally.
I am used to relying only on myself and bottling up all of the feelings that I had—until those feelings one day explode into chaos. Numbing myself to the pain was all I knew.
AFTER: Looking at life through a new light and trying to keep a positive outlook.
Anytime a minor inconvenience would happen to me, I learned that these things only serve to make me appreciate the good things in life even more. Life is full of ups and downs. Instead, I embraced my pain and my problems and GREW.
I hope that my summer glow-up will encourage you to begin your own glow-up! It can only begin with you and your willingness to commit to the better you. It won’t be easy, but that’s the fun in it. Challenge yourself and have fun!