Well well well, if it isn’t 2023? How good of you to come around — you’re definitely not sending me and everyone I know into an existential panic induced by the ever-ticking clock that slows for no human or beast. Glad you’re here!
The passing of time can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. That new number needn’t fill you with dread if you reframe the narrative in your head — think of this new year as an opportunity; a time to really get it together. For real this time. Here’s how.
Get your stuff together
Literally. If your living area — be it your house or just your room — is full of stuff lying about then that is the first place to start. Yes, I know this is in literally every self-help book ever written, but there’s a good reason for that. It works.
Give everything a ‘home’ — like OK, this is the drawer I put all the miscellaneous electrical stuff, and this is the shelf for my shorts, and in this secret chest, I will keep my various trinkets and shiny things I collect like a magpie on a mission. The key is to compartmentalise the clutter, young grasshopper.
Then, once everything is clean, go one step beyond and make it pretty, add a plant or two, or anything else that makes you look around and think, yeah, I’m proud to be in this room, in this house. I did this. It will make you feel good and set a solid foundation for personal growth.
Get comfortable being uncomfortable
The comfort zone is nice, but nothing ever grows there. Yes, I know that’s a cliche but hey cliches are cliches for a reason. They’re true. Pick up some new hobbies, put yourself out there, maybe enrol in some fun local community workshops, or study — this is your year to explore a whole new you.
Expand your circle
It’s never too late to make friends! Yes, it can seem making friends as we get older can be harder, but often, the friends we make when we’re a little older are more suited to who we are deep down. Expanding on the previous point — following your passion and picking up a new hobby can be perfect for finding people who align with your interests. Universities are perfect for this.
Get better at saying ‘no’
Not having enough time is a common reason for letting yourself and your life go. Think about your week — how many things are you doing because you want to, and how many things are you doing because you feel some sort of obligation to? Think about the weekend for example — are you out every Friday and Saturday night just because it feels like the thing you should be doing?
Nights in are healthy, boundaries are healthy, breaks are healthy — take them as much as possible. Because the other side of that coin is burnout, and that’s not fun for you or the people who rely on you. Look after yourself so you can be the best you for those who need you.
Once you learn how to have the difficult conversations, they don’t seem so difficult anymore.
Get moving
If you aren’t doing some form of exercise then you are setting yourself up for a Very Bad Not Good Time not just right now but for the rest of your life. Exercise has compounding interest, the more you move now the more time you’ll have feeling good on this earth — that’s heaps more time to get your life together. Plus, when you move regularly, you’ll feel good basically all the time. There’s literally no downside.
Of course, for some people, this just isn’t an option, but if it’s within your ability, work up a sweat as often as you can. Future you will thank you.
Expand your mind
It’s never too late to study. There’s so much pressure on high school students to pick their careers and life paths, but most of us don’t really have a clue when we’re so young. And yet if you miss that first post-high school uni wave it can be easy to think university just isn’t for you. But that is so not the case, it’s never too late.
If you’re ready to take the plunge into a new career, or you’re just iterated in expanding your lil noggin, going to uni can literally be life-changing. And you can get that ball rolling today by applying directly.
Believe in yourself
Last but absolutely positively supercalifragilisticexpialidociously not least — you are amazing. I say that not in the woo woo crystal Instagram story quote way, but more in the holy cow just look in the mirror for a second and realise how cool you really are.
You deserve to follow your passions, you only get one life and it’s never too late to switch things up if you’re not feeling fulfilled. You may think you’ve missed the boat but there are plenty of boats my friend, and they never stop docking. You just need to board.
So go ahead and follow your dreams, indulge your passion, change your career, switch up your study path, move to Spain! Do you baby.
Looking to study in 2023? Swinburne University of Technology is currently taking applications for Semester 1 for all courses and all levels of study. Find out more here.
