Lately I've been noticing a kind of trend among lifestyle bloggers, taking measures to improve their lives. From Sydney's self-love to Jess's living with intention, bloggers are showing the world how they're making their lives better. And lately, I've been thinking about my take on life lately. And how flawed it is.
See, I tend to get so focused on rushing to the next experience life has to offer that I forget to stop and enjoy the here and now. My whole life up until now has been a checklist, a constant parade of "what's next?" and "achievement reached." After finishing high school, I moved straight to college, and after college it was straight to finding a career. I got a major case of the wedding bug about six months after college, because when you're in a long-term relationship and graduate college, you're supposed to get married.
I've been unhappy lately because that marriage bug is back, but for all the wrong reasons (yet again). This time, I've fallen victim to a major case of "keeping up with the Joneses"-itis. It seems like everyone around me is getting engaged, and since I'm in the habit of constantly comparing my life to that of others around me, I've been feeling like Matt and I simply must get engaged, too.
And I've finally realized how unhealthy this whole mentality is. So I'm stopping it. I'm going to stop comparing myself to others, stop living my life like it's a checklist to be completed, and just enjoy it. I'm going to stop, and get a nice whiff of those roses everybody's always talking about.
Honestly, I'm not really even sure why I'm posting this, except for the fact that typing it all out is my own personal form of therapy, and it seems pointless to spend so much time typing something up and then not doing anything with it. Also, I think a lot of bloggers tend to only show one facet of themselves on a blog, and I don't really like that. This is my blog, and I'm going to be me on it. So, yeah. There you go?
I'm glad you posted this. When thoughts like this cross our mind, we should express them. This is your blog, after all.
ReplyDeleteI find the process of writing helps me sort out my thoughts and I always end up with a clearer understanding of what's rolling around in my mind. Your notions are interesting to us, too. Too often, too many of us treat life like a test and not an opportunity for joy. We need to remind ourselves to savor pleasures, big and small, wherever we find them.
god i hear you on that. my boyfriend and i have been together for 4.5 years now. we are on our 4th year of living together, we have dogs, we're committed. honestly, i want to be engaged. i see all these 21 year olds getting married after a year of dating and...just get angry/jealous. last week 6 people i know got engaged. six! of course we have our reasons (he's in med school, i'm applying) we're not getting married but after all this time, i want to make it legal. i want him to be my husband. how girly of me, but thats how i feel.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I can totally relate. Except for the fact that I don't even have a boyfriend. All of my friends have their serious boyfriends they've been with for years and most are either living with, married to, or engaged to them. Sometimes I feel like I'm so alone being single.. As if it's unnatural or something.
ReplyDeleteBut similarly, I need to stop comparing my life to theirs. Things happen for their own reasons for everyone and we need to stop wishing away or rushing through our lives. thanks for the reminder :)