colporteur.

22 August 2012
5:08 pm
26 notes

“Taking care of yourself will be the most difficult job. Harder than your first 9-to-5 or a demeaning, grueling internship. You’ll enter this decade burning the candle at both ends and it will feel damn good. Oh sure, you’ll pretend to shame spiral and feel guilt over your naughty behavior but deep down, it will feel so delightful to test the limits of your life. It’ll feel so good to know that you can go out till 4:30 a.m. and still show up for work five hours later and do an okay job. You can conceal the weariness with a smile and do the bare minimum of work that day. It will feel hellish, you’ll regret how hard you raged the night before and try not to do it again, but a part of you will feel totally satisfied. You did it. You had your 20-something cake and puked it up in the bathroom at work too. Suckers.

When I say “taking care of yourself,” I don’t just mean lights out at 11 and going to a soul cycle class. I’m also referring to your emotional well-being and finding a lifestyle for yourself that feels sustainable. Everyone tries to operate on extremes. Either they’re one phone call away from rehab or they’ve become a total grandma who never goes out. Neither of those two options are realistic though. Neither involve balance, which is what we all ultimately need but have trouble getting. It’s probably the most elusive thing in your 20s. That, and a well-paying job.”

— Ryan O’Connell, Things I Wish People Told Me When I Entered My 20’s

Last Post Next Post