“I’m not smart,” she said, her eyes wide with pain.
Here are a few thoughts to keep in mind as you progress in your career.
I’m a dreamer. This fact was made clear to me at an early age through my tendency to obsessively set goals and see just how fast I could achieve them. I’ve lived most of my life with one foot in the future, allowing my brain space to be consumed by who I would be someday instead of who I was right then.
Though I hate to admit it, the thrill of imagining how I would feel about myself and my life if my dreams were realized was often more satisfying than living in the “not yet” of the present. As a result, it became easy for my dreams to feel more like burdens – ideas and goals that weighed on my mind and heart until they were complete. This was only made more challenging by the fact that I usually had more dreams than any one season of life could hold.
Our twenties are often a time to learn who we are, to try out our talents and gifting in the world, and to develop meaningful relationships. The focus is on moving forward and creating a life that makes you feel alive and getting to know yourself as an independent adult.
But while we move into the next life stage, so do our parents. As we age, so do our parents. Very few of us consider the impact of our parents aging on our young adulthood. How do we create an independent life and stay appropriately connected to our parents? How do we balance our goals with our parents’ needs?
Here are a few ideas on how to navigate early adulthood with our parents in mind.
Some people are energized when they enter a party, maintaining a posture of confidence as they approach each conversation. They remain self-assured and emboldened as they socialize throughout the evening. However, many people do not feel this sense of excitement when they approach large gatherings. Instead, a sense of insecurity and dread settles in at the mere thought of working the room at a party or business meeting.
Whether you are someone who is comfortable with large parties or someone who gets nervous at the thought of even attending one, we are wise to keep a few things in mind that are sure to help us work a room and intentionally connect with other people.
Stress. Whether you wear it physically or emotionally, it is never a pleasant state of being. Stress announces itself in a variety of forms. Some may recognize it physically with the onset of symptoms such as tense shoulders, a racing heartbeat, or a migraine headache.
A Note From The Author: Dear Darlings, this topic has been on my heart for quite some time and has been a theme that continues to teach me more about my heart and reveal opportunities for growth in my own life. While my sincere hope
Living just outside New York City and making frequent trips into the city to explore has allowed me the privilege of discovering what are now a few of my favorite spaces to pass the time, connect with friends, and spend a romantic date with my
The unknown can be hard. The undefined time, of questions gone unanswered takes our emotional, physical, and mental energy without asking. Despite the discomfort that periods of wandering and questioning can be, perhaps what is more uncomfortable is how we feel about ourselves in the
Fall is here. School supplies on local stores’ shelves, the arrival of Pumpkin Spice Lattes in local Starbucks stores, and brisk air intruding on lingering summer heat announces the season. But I feel it in my heart too…I feel the shift from the unabashed wandering
It’s not a good feeling…that nagging, gnawing feeling that seems to flip your stomach in somersaults over and over again. It’s the feeling I always get when a relationship goes awry. It can be especially haunting when there is tension in a relationship in
The word “budget” conjures a myriad of thoughts of feelings. For me, the idea of financial limitation is often a source of great frustration and feelings of inadequacy. I admit that financial matters are often an easy venue for comparison that leads to an insatiable
I don’t like making mistakes. Not. One. Bit. I hate how I feel about myself after making a big mistake and I feel completely out of control with the inability to erase and “start over.” And most of all, I hate to cause hurt and
Most of us grew up celebrating our birthdays with fun-filled birthday parties and special family traditions. The day was marked with sweet surprises we would look forward to all year long. We felt special on our special day with each passing year. As the years
Summer … the season that evokes our “inner vacation”… the season that encourages flip-flops and casual attire, long evenings and slow mornings … the season where we leave room for spontaneity and unexpected joy to enter into our daily routines and obligations. Days that were
Most of us girls have a dream growing up that we will someday find our Mr. Forever. In young adulthood, there is a tendency to be particularly focused on this objective. Whether you are single, ready to mingle, or in a serious relationship, the choices
There is a difference between being on our own and being lonely isn’t there? Many of us value the space in solitude…the chance to let our thoughts run, uninterrupted…the chance to reconnect with ourselves…the chance to unplug and recharge. So when does being alone turn
Times are changing. While the twenties were once considered the pioneering season of adulthood, they are now considered by many to be a developmental extension of adolescence. Some attribute this phenomenon to the struggling economy, where more and more college graduates are moving back home.
She just popped the question…she’s asked you to be her bridesmaid. Maybe it’s your first time standing in the lineup or maybe it’s your 16th time. Whether you are a rookie or a veteran, the bridesmaid plays a crucial role before and during the big
Beep! Beep! Beep! Can that alarm clock sound be any more annoying? How can it be morning already? Often struggling to get a good night’s sleep, these are often the questions that accompany the start of my morning routine. While I am usually tired from
Whether you feel like you’re on the bottom rung or the top rung of the ladder, we’ve all experienced the social climb at one point or another. Maybe you’ve been stepped on by someone climbing their way to the top or perhaps you yourself have
“You is kind. You is smart. And you is important.” These are the precious words Aibileen shared with young Mae Mobley in the movie, The Help. While the words are simple, the message is deep…it’s about communicating the truth about her value and significance
Perhaps you are embarking on a new career
I am a firm believer that our external environment informs our internal environment, and our internal environment informs our external environment. What I mean is, I believe that the our thoughts and emotions have an impact on the way we live in our surroundings
Earlier this year contributor Lauren Tien shared simple tips for long-distance friendships, but since you really can never have too many ideas for keeping in touch with loved ones, we asked Nicole to share a few more ideas for staying close with those old friendships
From thrillers to comedies, from documentaries to reality TV, the options we have available to access on our screens anytime, anywhere is virtually limitless. Many praise these technological advances and marvel at the immediate gratification available to each of us with a click of a
We have all heard that “it is better to give than receive,” and each of us has likely experienced the joy of choosing the perfect gift for a friend, donating to your favorite charity, or volunteering your time at an organization in need. However, if
March Madness is typically a season for men to enjoy. Bromances blossom over beer and brackets as the 68 NCAA teams move to the “sweet sixteen” to the “elite eight” to the “final four” to the “NCAA championship.” Rather than begrudgingly surviving this “hoops fest,”
We’ve all been there…sitting with a group of women (likely snacking on Godiva and sipping our favorite wine), bashing a guy who couldn’t commit, a boyfriend who broke up with your best friend, a husband who isn’t “pulling his weight,” or the male species in
Most of us have been encouraged to “reach for the stars” our entire lives. We have heard the message that we can do anything we set our minds to and to go forward fearlessly in the direction of our dreams. So why do we as
- 1
- 2
