So you’ve managed to live through your teens, smile through your 20s and forge some kind of life in your 30s.
But you’re at that tipping point where you still want to go out every weekend, even though you're still living paycheck to paycheck.
Also, now your wardrobe takes the longest to move when your lease is up.
You’ve come to that chilling realization that you’re only going one way in life: getting older.
So that means it’s really time to get serious about your life, health and direction.
Here are six things to consider that could help you when you tip past this point:
1. Stop beating yourself up in your mind.
It’s so clichéd, but the only person you’re hurting is yourself.
Going over situations again and again in your mind -- day in and day out -- is not just pointless. It’s actually damaging.
You’re never in the present moment or paying any attention to bettering your life if you’re holding on to an event that ultimately no longer exists.
Only your attachment to it does. So stop it.
2. Stop binging on anything.
By your 30s, you should be well aware of your triggers.
What turns you from a good person into a sh*tty one?
Do you have seven glasses too many of wine?
Do you eat too much chocolate every night?
Do you still smoke?
Are you doing anything that you have to justify to yourself when and after you do it, just to make yourself feel better?
If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," you need to change.
3. If you can’t make a five-year plan, try making a five-day plan.
I'll admit it: A five-year plan makes me feel like I'm choking.
So when I felt like my life was going in circles, I decided that in order for me to plan anything without having a slight panic attack, I had to break down tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces.
I have no idea where I'll be in five years, but I know where I am right now. I have a rough game plan for the rest of the week, so that's all I need to focus on.
Start small.
For example, when you’re in the shower, you don’t need to be thinking about doing anything else or being anywhere else.
Come back to the now.
4. Stop blaming others for your life.
You are the variable. No one else is going to take responsibility for your life.
Why?
Because it’s your life.
Also, most (if not the majority of) people are too caught up in their lives, reflections and smartphones to even really care.
So imagine how sad you’ll feel if you cling onto others for the rest of your 30s, waiting for them to come and rescue you, only to realize in another 10 years that no one is coming.
The one person who should have rescued you -- and who has been there all along -- is you.
5. Take stock of all you’ve achieved.
It’s easy to look at what other people are doing -- or should I say, what other people are posting online -- these days, and feel a little sad.
Everyone is living a glorious life on Instagram. But as we know, all is not as it seems on camera.
Take some time out to reflect on your major achievements.
It may be something that you initially think is very tiny.
But to you, it can feel like the world.
It’s your achievement and no one else’s: Celebrate it.
6. Have fun.
It’s like many have said before: None of us are getting out of this life alive anyway, so just relax and enjoy it.
Have some fun.
Life is a game we have the privilege of playing, so make the most of it.
Experience as much as you can. Decide on a course of action for your life, and follow it as closely as you can.
The story is essentially already written.
We have a starting point and an ending point. This much is guaranteed.
But it’s what we do with the part in the middle that counts. It’s all on us.
So, here we are.
These are six small examples of how you can begin to break down what can seem like the overwhelming task of living life into manageable chunks.
Who knew, right?
It’s up to you to decide how you go about your day, but there is no real need to allow ourselves to suffer in our minds.
There is so much education out there: self-help books, videos, the Internet and much, much more.
I keep coming back to this, but I believe this idea is key: You are the variable.
You are present during every single situation that unfolds in your life. So ultimately, it’s all on you.
Step up to the plate and take life on by the balls because at the end of the day, people aren't worried about you.
They’re too busy figuring their own stuff out and looking at their smartphones.
