Lately I have been mostly talking
about trips I have taken, but today I want to focus more on achieving happiness
in your post-graduate life.
If you have recently graduated,
first off, CONGRATULATIONS! This is an amazing accomplishment. However, you may
be finding yourself in a state of confusion or depression as you transition
into the “real world”. Maybe it is a result of not finding a job right away, or
not finding your DREAM job. It could also be something I call “Facebook life
envy” which stems from constantly seeing pictures of your Facebook friends
having the time of their lives in their new city, at their new job, with their
new friends. It is easy to feel envious of other people’s lives when all you
see are the positive moments for them.
This constant update of your peers’
successes makes transitioning from your college years to adult life difficult
and confusing. In college, all of your friends were in the same city and you
were never short of fun activities to choose from. Adult life quickly slaps you
in the face as your parents cut you off and your list of bills never seems to
end. Pretty soon you find yourself doing laundry on a Friday night because you
are too mentally exhausted from the week to do anything else.
It is at this crucial turning point
in your life when you need to take charge of your own happiness. The day that
you recognize that YOU and only YOU are responsible for your own thoughts is
the day that you begin to live a happy and satisfying life.
I have recently found myself in one
of these post-graduate funks. I have a temporary job that I commute to and
spend gobs of money on gas and tolls. My boyfriend moved away and we are
adjusting to a long distance relationship and my friends all live in different
states around the US. I found myself constantly counting down the days until I
would be happy again. “20 days until I get to see my boyfriend and I will be
happy again”, “64 days until this certification exam is over and I can begin to
live again”, etc. After a few months of living like this, I recognized that
this was absolutely not the life I wanted to lead. I want to be happy every
SINGLE day. I have found a few habits that seem to help me, so I wanted to
share them with all of you!
1. Immerse yourself in experiences: You probably see where I am
going with this one. PUT DOWN YOUR PHONE. When you are with a group of your
best friends, stop checking your social media apps and texting. Be with your
friends and engage in the conversation. Appreciate what/who is around you and
the importance of human interactions. I can’t even count the number of times I
have spent time with my best friends while they text/snapchat/facebook the
whole time we are together. This is no way to maintain relationships and will
eventually result in your friends not wanting to spend time with you anymore.
So put down your phone and listen to what they are saying, it’s important.
2. Call your friends: As your friends move away to their new jobs
and no longer live down the hall or with you, you have to make an effort to
contact them. It may be difficult because of your busy schedules, but it is
absolutely worth it. There is no better therapy than talking to an old friend
and hearing how their life is going.
3. Connect with your co-workers: You don’t have to be their best
friends and hangout with them every weekend, but make an effort to connect with
them. This will make you more comfortable coming to work, build your network,
and help you excel because you won’t be afraid to ask questions.
4. Start each day positively: I recently have started making an
effort to think every morning “Today will be a great day, I will be productive
and learn something new“, or something along those lines. Starting each day on
a positive note has helped me be more productive at work which has contributed
to my overall happiness.
5. Manage your money: Whether you started a salaried job, or are
still searching, it is imperative that you begin to manage your money. Knowing
where your money goes and how much you have to spend gives you control over
your life and ownership of what is yours. This will reduce stress and make it
easier to be happy. I recommend Mint.com because you can consolidate all of
your finances into one place (plus they have an app and everyone loves apps).
6. Clean on Monday nights: Stop turning down mimosas with your
friends on the weekends because you have to do laundry and clean. Just because
you have graduated does not mean you have to stop living your life. Start cleaning
a little bit every day so when the weekend rolls around you are free to have
some fun and relax.
7. Travel: Everyone suggests this, but I want to open your eyes to
realistic travelling. College students seem to have this idea in their minds
that you have to go to Europe to have a life changing travel experience. For
the financially stressed, this is not always a possibility. I was able to take
a trip around the Southeast United States and it truly changed me forever. When
I saw the Great Smoky Mountains in the distance, I CRIED. Seriously, they are
so breathtakingly beautiful. Seeing such incredible features of nature humbles
us and helps us find some perspective. We are but small beings on this Earth
and our problems are not has large as we think they are.
What are your tactics for
happiness? Share them with me, I would love to hear them!
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