It’s Okay To Slow Down

To the girl who wants to do everything: It’s okay to slow down.

Bet you haven’t heard that before… or even thought of it because let’s be honest, you don’t have time to think about that kind of stuff when you have so much to do.

Last year was a crazy year for me. Three jobs, three executive positions in clubs, a full-time student, a sorority member with a position, all at one time. People would ask me how I had time for myself… I didn’t. It was rough. When I wasn’t doing homework or studying for a class I barely passed – shout out to Accounting – I was working. If I wasn’t doing one of those two things, I was probably at a meeting for a club or my sorority.

I felt overwhelmed. My mind constantly raced, and I would wake up in the middle of the night remembering I forgot to do an online assignment or send that time-sensitive email. I was so involved with everything I could possibly imagine that I wasn’t giving everything 100%, which made me even more stressed out.

Is it worth it? I thought it was. But let’s be real. Your mental health is more important. Constantly being stressed and overwhelmed isn’t an enjoyable way to live.

I quit a job and slowed down on the extracurriculars. I didn’t make a huge change. I still have two jobs, school, a sorority, and clubs on my plate, but baby steps are better than nothing!

I still have to remind myself that it’s okay to take an hour out of my week to go shopping, but I’m trying. I’m focusing on school a little more than I used to, and I actually don’t feel lost for once. I’m a lot less stressed and ten times happier just from ditching a few things that in the end wouldn’t really benefit me or land me that “dream job” I thought they would. Because in the end, anyone can have a killer resume, but no one wants to hire the girl who lost her personality to stress.

So, to the girl who wants to do everything – I FEEL YOU!

Sure, the money is nice, but don’t overwork yourself.

Sure, your resume is going to look bomb with all of the leadership positions you have, but don’t bite off more than you can chew.

Take my advice! It’s okay to say no. I know you want to please everybody and not let anybody down, but make sure you’re not letting yourself down in the process. It’s okay to take some time for yourself and get your nails done or lay in bed watching the Kardashians all day. I promise it’s much better than feeling like you’re drowning.

So, to the girl who wants to do everything: It’s okay to slow down.