So there's been this Thought Catalog post that has been swimming around Facebook for a while now and I thought, what better way to start December by reflecting on what I've done since I turned 20 two years ago.
1. Call that person you’ve been thinking about for longer than you can remember, but whose rejection you have always feared. Just pick up the phone, hold your breath, and accept the fact that knowing how they feel is better than living in limbo.
2. Go on a camping trip with a solid group of your friends, a cooler of drinks, and enough grillable meats to last you for at least twice as long as you actually need. Get really scared when you think you hear a bear, and then realize it’s just your friend coming back from peeing.
3. Learn how to make your favorite restaurant dishes, even if they don’t taste as good as the original. Learn what actually goes into the food you love so much.
I'm trying to recreate a delicious risotto I enjoyed while on a lunch date with Pyn in Melbourne. It was a cold, winter day and that risotto really warmed me up. At $24, the price was quite steep, but the abundance of seafood hidden within was definitely worth it.
My current job. I went for the interview expecting nothing, but silently prayed for a chance. The whole process was nerve wracking, and for a really long time, I couldn't believe I landed the job. Never worked so hard for something in my life!
5. Go an entire Saturday without a smartphone, and intentionally get lost in your own city — ask for directions from strangers and read street maps if you need to find your way back somewhere.
6. Approach someone at a bar who seems cute and cool, and without even thinking about it, just start up a conversation with them. Remind yourself that you don’t even know this person, and even if they don’t like you back, it will have no bearing on your life.
Cairns. It was a lovely night at a local bar where you can get steak at $6 and drinks at $10 for 5. The atmosphere was great, and the people I was with were better. Was queuing for a drink and chanced upon this cute guy looking lost at the line. Started with, "You getting a drink? Why don't you purchase the deal coupon downstairs, it's really a steal." And the next thing I know, he was leading me seamlessly on the dance floor.
I hardly say I love you without really meaning it. So when I did for the first time in a long, long time... and received a weirded out response in return, I swore I'll never say it again. Not a good friend, apparently. But who knew, later, I met someone who told me he loves me, and it's okay if I didn't love him back. But I surprised myself by telling him, "I do too, but just give me a little more time." In turn, he surprised me by giving me just that.
8. Paint your room a really odd color, one that you’ve always wanted to live in but looked at as too “childish” or “bold” for an adult’s apartment.
9. Paint over it right away if you don’t like it, but give it at least a week to test it out.
Soon. When I have my own apartment or something.
When I was out backpacking, most of the time I didn't care about how I looked. My hair was messy, my face had little to no make up and I wore old t-shirts and baggy printed pants. I felt comfortable and I still made tons of friends along the way.
11. Get a job that you can quit with no remorse, and leave it as soon as you save enough money to go somewhere far away.
Tokyo, Japan. 'nuff said.
Every single day. :P
Didn't plan it, but was part of the surprise Ryan's friends threw him for his birthday this year. They were really awesome people.
15. Bring breakfast for everyone in your office and don’t expect them to do anything in return (even though, if it’s a decent office, they definitely will).
16. Practice having a conversation with someone where you focus entirely on listening, and don’t think at all about what you’re going to say next so you can concentrate on everything they’re saying as they say it.
17. Plan a weekend trip to the beach with friends, pack your car with blankets and coolers and swimsuits, and rent a shitty little place right on the boardwalk. Spend the whole time eating fries with malt vinegar and Old Bay, riding old roller coasters, and getting sand in your hair.
18. Make a four-course meal for someone you love, and set up the table all fancy and nice.
Had dinner with someone who's 20+ years older than me. We had a great time talking about life, about his experiences.. about 'kids these days' and of course, travelling in the 'olden days'. It was invigorating.
20. Apologize to someone you slighted, and mean it.
21. Organize a night out with your coworkers so that everyone can get to know each other and have fun in a more cool setting, and be the person who takes the initiative to reserve rooms and coordinate schedules. Make things happen.
22. Take a dance class, and stick with it.
I can't dance though.
23. Move to a city you want to live in, even if it means having to work odd jobs and long hours to pay for everything. Make the choice to be in the places where you want to be, and live your life in the right surroundings.
Japan, maybe? Or Bangkok? Hmmm.
24. Get a bike, and ride it as much as you can. Memorize public transportation. Learn how to get yourself around without a car, and rid yourself of all of the expenses it comes with.
25. Pack up a bunch of lunches and toiletries and give them out to the homeless people you pass every day. Decide that you can do something about the sadness you see on your walk to work, and actually follow through with making a difference. Be generous with your time, your money, and your compassion, and realize how little it takes to be that person if you really want to.
Out of 25 things, I've only done 7 in the two years since I turned 20. I have 8 years left to fulfill most on this list! Let's hope I can cross more things out.
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