If you've been on the social media scene lately, you may have read this article, 23 things to do instead of getting engaged before you're 23. Although you may not like Vanessa's honest style of writing and/or completely agree with her satirical, she's got a point.
You can only become the best partner after you become the best you.
And I have to agree, I've also had similar sentiments as my newsfeed floods with wedding posts and engagement pictures. For crying out loud, I'm still deciding what I want to do with the rest of my life, how the heck can people my age be ready to settle??! We just graduated, we're young and wild and finally FREE!
However, I'll admit, I wanted to be one of "those" couples. Obviously that didn't work out too well because I'm still very much single, BUT I'm definitely better off for it. After nearly 4 years in a serious relationship, I couldn't be myself. I didn't know how and I'm still working on it. Which takes me back to the article's main idea, to make personal development a priority.
While many may disagree with Vanessa's seemingly tactless points, its heart of self discovery is what I decided to base my own list off of. So here is my list, inspired by Vanessa's, of 23 (legitimate? un-satirical?) things to do instead of getting engaged at 23...
- Start a blog. Just do it.
- Stop dreaming about the life you want, make it happen.
- Have a drink with your parents. They can be pretty neat people, even friends, once you get to know them!
- Start a(nother) small business.
- Buy consciously and responsibly. Know (to the best of your ability) what you're buying, where it's from, what it's made out of, etc. What you put in/on your body shouldn't just be good for the environment but selfishly and importantly it should be good for you too!
- Introduce yourself to a cute, random stranger.
- Teach yourself something. Always dreamed of learning calligraphy? Whatever strikes your fancy, learn it.
- Adopt a pet. (Teach yourself responsibility, because taking care of a dog and a boyfriend are totally similar, right? ;)
- Create/build/make something useful.
- Stand naked in front of a mirror and love your body. It is imperfectly perfect.
- Bake a cake. Eat it too.
- Host a party, just because! (Maybe serve that cake you just made?)
- Take a trip...alone. A la Thoreau.
- Find a form of exercise that you love. (So you can do #10 more often.)
- Meditate daily.
- Start a habit for 30 days that benefits you. Drink 32oz of water? Floss?
- Sleepover with your best friends as much as possible. I'm talking about the ones who have been around forever and ever. The ones who have had your back from those awkward middle school days and will continue to do so when you're all 82 and scooting around DisneyWorld together.
- Keep a daily gratitude journal.
- Reach out to a friend you've lost touch with.
- Find a job where you are happy. If you're not happy, find something you love.
- Get rid of the excess. Remember that shirt that you may possibly wear again but haven't for the last year? Lose it.
- Grow some plants or even start a garden. I swear, you really never knew how great a tomato could taste straight off the vine!
- Celebrate your awesomeness with a glass of wine/beer/shot!
May your 2014 be filled with self discoveries and wanderlust-y adventures. I'm just living my life and taking fieldnotes while I'm at it.
xo from catie
{ photo by Youli Zheng }
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