A Few Things You Should Start By Your 25th Birthday (or at least I'm trying to)

 Reaching my first adulthood milestone has been surprisingly tough for me, and by tough, I mean I am avoiding it like the plague. For whatever reason, turning twenty-five just sounds awful to me. The truth is, I’ve always liked being the “baby” of the group. I think it makes me feel more accomplished with my life when I seem young for where I am, and the older I get, the more I start to look around and wonder what the heck I have been doing this whole time. So to keep my mind off of my steady aging process, I decided to make a list of simple things I should try to accomplish for myself this year and thought I would share them in case anyone else is going through a similar quarter life crisis. Of course this isn't as age specific as it sounds, you're never too late or early to start!

Start A Hobby

 

I don’t know about you, but nothing makes me feel more pathetic than when someone asks me what I like to do for fun. Of course, the usual come to mind. I enjoy Netflix, naps, and eating Cadbury Mini Eggs by the handfuls... I can just imagine what my eHarmony profile would have looked like. I went through a phase where I would always tell people I love to read (which is true, honest) but then I would be bombarded with questions and I quickly learned to only say I love to read when I am actually reading something and it's something I'm not embarrassed to talk about. It isn't the best idea when I am in a dry spell and have preferred Finding Nemo on repeat to any actual exercising of my brain, or when I was in the middle of American Psycho and really did not want to explain to my seventy year old Nora Roberts loving client what Patrick Bateman enjoyed doing in his free time. Really though, we all should invest in something we enjoy completely outside of work, whether it be knitting, reading, zumba, or even wine tasting. Finding something you love is not only exciting because of a new activity, but it also helps to get to know yourself a little better. Who knows, you might find out you have a talent you never even would have found before.

Support A Charity

Even if you have little to spare, there is always something you can give. Whether it is money, donations, or your time, someone can benefit. As I have gotten older I have started to realize how important it is to invest in things you believe in. Take some time to research different organizations and really get to know what they stand for and what they are accomplishing, and then choose one or a few to support in whatever way you can. Helping others always is the best way to lift your own spirits, because nothing feels as good as accomplishing something bigger than yourself.

Find A Wine You Enjoy

Now obviously this one isn’t for everybody. Some of us don’t drink, others are whiskey girls, and that is completely okay. This is for the few of us who order wine like I do, find the cheapest five on the menu and narrow it down by ones I am confident in pronouncing. I’m not going to lie, it is pretty rare I find a homerun with that method, so now that I’m no longer twenty-one and just excited to show someone my ID, it may be time for me to actually know what I like. The best way to find your favored wine without a few strike outs and wasted money, is to go on a wine walk or tasting. This way the cost is minimal and you get to experience different wines with someone more knowledgeable at your exposure, so get some girls together and taste away!

Master One Meal For Dinner Guests

 

For some of you I am sure I am about six years behind, but for the rest of us, Easy Mac and cheese quesadillas were perfectly acceptable for anyone who could have ended up at our house until now. Now that I am truly reaching adulthood without excuses, I think I am at an appropriate age to start preparing more desirable food. Just to be clear, I am not at all saying we are all to become little 1950’s housewives and should labor away in the kitchen all day, because that just won’t do. We all have different talents and different interests. While some of my friends would love to be June Cleaver, others would run into the street at just the thought of it, and that’s why I love them. But we should all feel like we can have friends over and make something super awesome, whether it’s a homemade pizza, grilled chicken breasts, or some crazy vegan rice dish. Lucky us, we now have Pinterest. So search ‘til your heart’s content, eventually you’ll find something you can totally rock. 

Turn Off Electronics

Not surprisingly, this is by far the hardest challenge for me, but I think it is also one of the most important. The more electronics and social media become a part of our everyday lives, the harder it is to separate from them, making the people you are actually with seem to be second priority. Try to challenge yourself to not only turn your phone off when with others, but to also give some time to yourself where you are unreachable, even if it’s only for a half hour to an hour. People need to recharge, too.

So if you are like me, it's time to celebrate getting older with a few personal accomplishments you can be proud of instead of dreading your birthday. This is also an ideal time and excuse to eat cake.

you deserve it.