Life is for taking by the reigns and enjoying. I see you sat there, waiting for your life to happen. I see you comparing your life to The Holiday, waiting for love to find you and your life to really begin. I see you holding up for the day that you are employed and can travel anywhere you want to, and most of all I see you sat there wanting to be free of anxiety and failed expectations.
But, let me tell you this.
You work so hard throughout your life, from revising at GCSEs to being almost completed with your degree. The hard work is constant and does not stop. The stress makes you put weight on and go through a complicated relationship with your body; the results you get will not always be high firsts; you will not always be deemed a ‘success’ in your own eyes. Life is complicated, and it throws shit at you. Life, to be completely honest, is a bit of a bitch.
So, what I want to say to you, oh sweet innocent Sophie, is do not let the good times slip you by. This year I have suffered through a pandemic, and I have felt an overwhelming amount of loneliness, despite being surrounded by loving family and friends. Why? Because I am sad about the life that I am missing out on, the memories that I should be making, and most of all the lessons I should be learning from life.
I want you to really embrace life, and to work through whatever it throws at you. But, I do not want you to do it in a passive way. Be active in finding things that make you happy, in taking the time to acknowledge that self care IS a necessity, and all the time look for the little things in life that will bring a smile to your face.
Look around, and the birds may be singing, or the flowers may be blooming, or your friend may be laughing outside. Do not let these moments of beauty slip you by, because you will only know that these are the true joys in life when you are deprived of them.
Smile, Sophie, but make sure it is genuine.
Feature Image: Hannah Buckley via The Courier's Creative Contributors
