As I become older, I've realized how much I have decided I need to start planning. I need to plan how to make money, where to continue my education, when to take specific classes, and, really, it just feels like I need to plan the rest of my life!
In the past few months, now that I work a "big girl" job, or now that I work 35-40 hours a week, I've realized how much this planning that I've loved all my life really gets in the way of some of the best parts of life. I don't just go out with friends without first thinking, "Do I have any money to spare?" I've been saving upwards of 80 percent of each of my checks for my future apartment as well as enough money for my bills from month to month, leaving me with not much money to do anything else. I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing that I have specific amounts saved for specific reasons, but I started wondering, "What if I just decided to get spontaneous one weekend but had no money to do that? What would I do?"
So, I compromised with the rational adult in myself. I took both the planning route and spontaneous route and chose to specifically save money for some unknown *spontaneous* activity.
I'm choosing both the spontaneous and rational parts of myself and letting myself live, at least a little bit.
Sometimes, we get stuck in a rut. We pay bills, save some money, pay bills, save some money, but that gets downright boring over time. It's important to not only have a good life, but to live your life well. I've finally decided to live my life well. I don't want to look back on some of the best years of my young life and only remember the days I worked and the bills I paid.
Saving for an unknown future event is only the start of living my life. I hope in the coming weeks to take more chances, make more friends and live my life exactly how I want to. I want to make bad decisions, have crazy nights, and just be happy. Getting out of a rut is hard, but it is possible.
From now on, I will live my best life. Now it's time for you to take a leap of faith, too.