8.

I'm turning 28 this year......which freaks me out a tad mainly because

1. I'm almost 30 and my life is a disaster. Literally...my closet and its lack of organization frightens me.
2. I still feel very much like a child....which makes me worried because by now I should be able to care for a child...not still be one myself.
3. I can no longer say "Oh I'm in my early 20's" and be able to get away with it.....bitch get real. You are in your LATE 20's.
4. TV shows like Dawson's Creek (yeah I watched it), Friends, and Sex & The City made your late 20's seem soooooo glamorous and put together. I'm pretty sure I am still the Captain of the Hot Mess Express.

I started freaking out thinking of all the places I have yet to go and all the shit I have yet to do. Looking back at the last 27 years....I wasn't too sure what I had accomplished. I started comparing myself to my friends and family (you know you do it too.....stop judging me). People are married, buying houses, graduating from schools, having babies....and I'm just here all divorced and shit. Then I started to really sit and think....and it hit me. What the fuck am I doing? I can't possibly sit here and say I haven't accomplished anything. What gives me the right to sit here and compare myself to others? We all have different lives, different struggles. Not one of us are the same...

I know for a fact I am not the only person to sit here and play the comparison game. I know each and every one of us are guilty of looking at our lives....looking at someone else's life...and wondering WTF....where the fuck did I go wrong....they look so happy sitting on the beach relaxing in that photo while I'm here slaving away at work in an office....which is NOT the beach.

I may not be well traveled. Might not have multiple degrees hanging on my wall. I know I am 27 and divorced......but at the end of the day I am happy. Genuinely HAPPY. I look at my life and while it might not be perfect...it is mine and I am crazy in love with it.....and YOU should be in love with your life too!

Sometimes we get so busy with work, relationships, friendships, bills, stress...and all of the other crap that clouds our day to day.....that we often forget to just enjoy life. Now when I say enjoy life...I mean the simple joys of life.  I've developed a pretty legit (if I do say so myself) list of things to do to brighten our mood and our day. Nothing fancy.....just simple little things to bring joy to our hearts and peace to our crazy/hectic lives.

8 Is Great

• Color in coloring books - Yeah....I know. This seems ridiculous. Why on earth would a grown adult find joy in coloring in coloring books. Let me explain.....you are allowing yourself to escape from reality. You get to sit with yourself for a little while and shut your brain down. Focusing on coloring allows you to shut out everything else that is stressing you out. You get to be a kid again AND reduce your stress levels. You're welcome.

• Rock the FUCK out in your car - Find the jams that make you really want to rock out.....and do it. I rock out in my car EVERY single day...especially when in traffic (please be safe when gettin' down with your bad self). People always look at me like I'm crazy.....but I am over here in my own world having a blast while others look oh-so-sad in traffic! Busting out to 'Mr. Jones' at the top of your lungs really changes your life......for the better. Try it.

• Stop giving a fuck about what people think - I love people. I love my family and friends to the end of the earth....but at the end of the day I could give a fuck what they think (sorry mom...I love you). I live my life for ME. No one else....and you should too. Don't be concerning yourself with what everyone else is doing/thinking/saying. Are they in your shoes? Are they paying your bills? Have their opinions of you and your life ever had an impact on your ability to function/breathe? No?? I didn't think so.

• Hug the SHIT out of someone at least once a day - Anyone can give a hug. More often than not you totally know when it's a fake/obligatory hug. I say hug the shit out of someone at least once a day. Get up in there. Use both arms. Smush your face against their face. Feel their heartbeat. I promise if you do this at least once a day your soul will thank you. 

• Pants Off / Dance Off in your living room - Keep your pants on if you feel like it. Either way....just dance. Like an idiot. Do the robot. Pelvic thrust into the air. Just rage. Once a day.....that's all it takes. Just take a few minutes to get all up in that mix. Not only are you having a blast (and probably laughing at yourself because you look like an idiot) but you are also working out. Strange right?

• Stay in touch - Send a message every now and then to your friends. Yes....I get it. I know, I know. You're busy. You don't have the time. You're soooo swamped. I don't give a shit. Those are all excuses. Relationships and Friendships don't just develop on their own. They need to be nurtured and cared for. Text an old friend when you're sitting on the crapper. Call your grandma when you're stuck in traffic (hands free people). Just stay in touch. Relationships are a two way street and the only way to cultivate them and make them last is to stay in touch. So take some time to hit up someone special. I'm sure they would love to hear from you as much as you would love to hear from them.

• INDULGE - In something. Anything you enjoy. Ice Cream, books, trashy reality TV...whatever it is that floats your boat...indulge in that shit. Make time for it. Enjoy it once in a while. Nothing wrong with making yourself happy. We are SO consumed with making our boss, partner, coworker, mailman, friends, parents, (whoever really), happy....that we tend to forget to take some time out of our day to make ourselves happy. Do that. You're important too you know.

• Laugh......a whole fucking lot - Find the joy and peace in the simple things. Laugh until your stomach hurts. Say some corny jokes every once in a while. Send funny memes to your friends. Look at the Kim Kardashian crying picture (that shit ALWAYS makes me laugh). I have found that even when life is shitty.....I am sad...my life is a "disaster"....laughing always helps. It instantly puts a smile on my face and brings a sense of ease to my mind. Laugh at yourself. I know I do. I make myself laugh all the fucking time. Just laugh. Doctors do say it's the best medicine you know. 

I'm not saying that this list is the end all /be all of shit that will make your life better. You might read this list and think I'm crazy. That is fine with me. You might read this list and never give any thought to my suggestions. That is cool too. But if at least one of you walk away after reading this and try something I listed......that will make me pretty fucking stoked about life. Those things I shared up there make my life complete. They bring joy and happiness to the crazy-ass adventure I call my life.

Going back to what I said above.....I know that all of us sit and compare. We are all guilty of it at some point. My advice is this......FUCK IT. Do you boo boo! Be happy with your life.....all aspects of it. Even the parts that you feel need some improvement. Love those babies too! Remember that life is a precious gift. We were placed on this Earth to do something amazing. Whether it is becoming a doctor, a trash man, a stand-up comedian, friend, family member, or even just a random little hobby blogger like myself.....we are all here to do great things and touch the lives of those around us in a profound way. 

Enjoy life. Laugh a lot. Cry when you need to. Bust out when you want to. Make fun of yourself. Excel in what makes you happy. Strive to be a better version of who you were yesterday. Most importantly....NEVER EVER EVER forget that you are a fucking blessing. Yeah....I said YOU. So stop comparing and spend your time reflecting on the awesome fucking blessing that is your life. Oh and smile. A lot. You deserve it.

"Why compare yourself with others? No one in the entire world can do a better job of being you than you" -Unknown

PS:

You're Welcome for the laugh lol