In celebration of "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" returning this week, I felt more than obligated to pay tribute this week to one of my favorite shows. "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" is known for its all-star cast, humor, and infamous songs ("Pinot Noir," anybody?). But, it's also really relatable in how much it sums up becoming an adult. Here are some things that watching this show reminded me of as I myself transition into being an adult:
1. Your definition of a meal can be anything you want.
Three meals in one day can be a hard goal to shoot for, so a girl's gotta keep her options open. Whether it's a pack of Milk Duds or some leftover brownies you made last night, you'd be surprised what can constitute as breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
2. Exercise can have many forms.
Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day to hit the gym, or you may not have motivation to leave your house in general. This is where improvisation comes in, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or walking the longer route instead of your shortcut. Sometimes even just that little amount of time will make you feel better.
3. With so many responsibilities, you get tired more easily.
You don't have the same energy as you did as a kid, and we're not talking about hanging on the monkey bars or going on the swing. This is cleaning, classes and jobs we're talking here all in a day's work. Getting one thing off your checklist is an accomplishment within itself, so give yourself a break when you're feeling overwhelmed.
4. Allowing yourself that extra sleep isn't always so bad.
With the little luxuries you afford yourself, sleep should always be a reward. Even if it's just an extra 10 minutes or three hours, sometimes you need to refresh and reboot. You can only do so much on a lack of sleep.
5. You have to constantly remind yourself you are a grown-up.
It's hard to remember in the midst of responsibility how much more power you have now. You don't always have to agree with others or do what you want. Remember that and use it to your advantage.
6. You've learned to choose your words more carefully.
The older you've gotten, the more you've learned how to use your words wisely. So when you're feeling disrespected or taken advantage, a quick comeback or sassy line is always carefully up your sleeve just in case you'll need it. You're always prepared to take someone down with knowledge, just in case.
7. You still long to be accepted by others.
We would think we would have outgrown this by now, but the need to want to fit in still carries over into adulthood. When networking professionally or personally, we have a lot of connections we want or need to make with people fast. Adults can still be intimidating even when you become an adult yourself.
8. Sometimes you don't be want to be an adult at all.
It's not all it's cracked up to be. Sometimes we long for simpler times with less pressures and responsibilities. It's important to indulge in our inner child fantasies every once in awhile when we get too caught up in our lives.
9. We see more of our flaws than our positive attributes.
In becoming more aware of the world, we become more aware of ourselves which is where criticism can tend to take over. It's important not to be too hard on ourselves in that we can't be perfect and have everything figured out. We're not always as bad as we seem.
10. In the midst of everything going on, we forget how to handle one thing at a time.
We forget how to do simple tasks when trying to take on too much. Often, our solution is something so simple, like just taking ten seconds to breathe or a walk to clear our thoughts, or even just allowing ourselves to cry to let it all out. Our problems aren't so complex and neither are the solutions. We just need to allow ourselves the time to sort our problems out and then it's back to taking on the world, one step at a time.
Being an adult is both great and frustrating, but if you put a lot into it you'll get a lot out of it.
