My Not So Sex In The City Life - Advice On Life

As a post-graduate, it’s easy to spend a lot of time dwelling on everything we’re not.

We leave college with lofty ideas about what our futures will hold, only to find that many of those dreams won’t actually come true (at least not immediately). I anticipated a life similar to that of Carrie Bradshaw.  I imagined living in a small city apartment among a few pairs of killer Manolo Blahniks, working my dream job. I envisioned brunches and lunches with friends, cosmopolitans, and a boyfriend who looked more like prince Harry than Big. If your expectations were particularly outrageous like mine, then the “real world” has begun to look a little dim. In the real world, my swanky city apartment is my parents house, I wouldn’t know what my dream job looked like if it hit me square in the face, Target brand shoes are more my speed, and I actually hate cosmopolitans. My life looks less like Carrie’s and more like the not so funny comedy that airs before the popular sitcom.

That being said, I have two options. I can either a) dwell on the fact that I’m no Carrie Bradshaw or b) re-evaluate my expectations. Since I’m a genuinely happy person I’ve decided to go with plan b and dedicate the next few months to riding out whatever wave comes my way. If you’ve found yourself in a similar situation, bellow are a few tips from a friend who has already weathered the 20-something storm. There may not be Manolo’s at the end of the tunnel, but at least there is light…

Advice from a 30-something to a 20-something:

1.     Take risks rather than choosing what is safe.

2.     Learn to love and respect yourself.

3.     Remain thirsty for knowledge.

4.     Take life less seriously – work only as much as you need.

5.     Remove the things you tolerate and get clear on what matters to you most.

6.     Don’t be afraid to be a little selfish.

7.     Meet new people, branch out from what and whom you already know.

8.     Don’t be afraid of looking dumb, it just doesn’t matter.

9.    Life is short, remember to have fun.

10. Always let the important people know how much they mean to you.