Hi readers, For what it’s worth, I’ve had a challenging month. I packed my life up into some suitcases, moved to a new country where I don’t speak the language, found a new apartment and started a new job. The changes have left my head spinning at the end of most days and given a new depth to those all-important 3 little words: emotional roller coaster. I am generally a very happy person. This month has tested my ability to stay happy in the face of massive, decisive life changes. I have never been so uncertain about my direction, my ability to succeed and the general strength of my…
Seeking a Purpose
Lately, I have been pondering the importance of seeking a purpose. It started because I was considering my blog. I realized I have felt a little lost lately because my writing here has lacked purpose. I don’t know who I want my audience to be or why I want them to read. Thoughts about ex-boyfriends? Advice on the larger purpose of life? Useful topographic maps of major international department stores? It’s just so hard to whittle down a focus!! Thankfully, the internet exists to help answer such questions. I checked out The Mimialists “How to Start a Successful Blog” and felt immediately inspired and rejuvenated. After several page redirects…
Great (Self) Expectations
I expect a lot from myself and I spend a fair amount of time thinking about why. Here is some of what I have come up with: I think on some primal level, people hunger for validation. Hence the 5 year plans, the well-scheduled days, the constant, twitching check marks on the ever-present to do list. We like to think we will look back and say, “Oh, yes–this all went exactly as I planned it.” Riddle me this, June Cleaver: When was the last time something in your life went exactly as you planned it? It’s important to set expectations mostly so that we can macerate them in the endless,…
How to Be Interesting
It is the constant lament of young adulthood–how can you and your friends be more interesting? Once you’ve cycled through the normal schedule of alcoholic painting classes, Thursday happy hours and Sunday brunch, how do you keep your friendships absorbing and enjoyable without hitting a wall of total exhaustion? Sometimes, at the end of a day of work, I don’t want to go to a restaurant and discuss my feelings and sound interesting. I want to sit in a room by myself, reading People magazine and judging the life decisions of imperfect strangers. But at the end of the day, I’m always happy if I put down the Ben and…