Real talk: Adulting is hard. Having actually responsibilities is hard. Working 40 hours a week is hard. Feeling like you have no time to yourself is hard. Having to pay for everything yourself is hard. Being far away from your closest friends is hard. Not spending all your money in the Target dollar section is hard (it may seem like this is easily avoidable, but I have a serious addiction).

I knew that life outside of my little college bubble wasn’t going to be a nice stroll through the park, but I never thought it would feel like I’m running a marathon with little to no training. I’m physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve cried myself to sleep more times this summer than I probably ever have in my life. I feel like I have an emotional break-down at least once a week (and my mom can attest to this). I haven’t had one in a while, which I’m counting as a personal triumph to be celebrated with cake later (;

I’ve been realizing that self-care is something I’m going to really have to focus on if I want to keep the emotional breakdowns to a minimum. At least once a day, I try to spend my time doing something that rejuvenates my soul. I work on my novels. I buy myself coffee and a chocolate pastry. I plan my European escapades. I craft something beautiful for my room. I buy myself a new dress. I read a book from my endlessly long list. I watch Gilmore Girls or Friends. I add another song to my post-grad-pick-me-up playlist on Spotify.

Honestly, sometimes self-care is just an excuse to treat myself to something because I’m not feeling particularly great that day, but regardless, my soul appreciates it and I am infinitely happier when I invest in myself. It may sound selfish to spend the little free time I have each day focused on myself, but I figure that I have to live with myself for the rest of my life, so I better learn how to start taking care of myself. And if that makes my days a little easier and my heart a little lighter in my chest, then that’s worth it to me.

In an effort to take care of myself this morning, I slept in a little bit, made myself a breakfast burrito, put on a cute dress & did my make-up, then I walked to Starbucks and bought myself coffee and a chocolate croissant. I’m currently listening to Shawn Mendes’ new album as I write this post and all these things combined are reminding me that my life is pretty dang good, even if at times things get too much.

//Sometimes it all gets a little too much,

But you gotta realize that soon the fog will clear up,

And you don’t have to be afraid, because we’re all the same,

And we know that sometimes it all gets a little too much.//

– Shawn Mendes, “A Little Too Much”