There are a plethora of expressions warning exactly against the title of this article: “Don’t make any rash decisions,” “think before you act,” and the classic “don’t be impulsive” being just some of them. I get it, and honestly, endorse this general mindset—it’s generally good to take a breath and consider what you’re going to do before you, you know, do it. That being said, there are some situations that absolutely merit a good old fashioned impulse decision. I’m here to advocate for these situations because sometimes, you just have to take a leap of faith, without spending too much time thinking about the consequences. Here’s why I’m encouraging you to make a (safe and responsible) impulsive decision every now and then:
- It’s the perfect pick-me-up for a tough day. We’ve all had our fair share of mundane days. You know, the ones where you feel completely and totally stuck in a rut. Whether you’re drowning in work or simply drowning in boredom, it’s difficult to think about doing anything fun, much less getting through your day without taking an approximately three-hour nap. In my professional experience, the best way to battle times like these is simply to break the routine. Even if it just means taking five minutes out of your day to call a friend you haven’t spoken to in a year, going for a sprint around the block, or blasting music and having an impromptu kitchen dance party, you’ll return to whatever responsibilities you have feeling refreshed and ready to work. This is practically a scientifically proven fact. Google it.
- Your self-confidence can soar! Let’s be real: Doing something crazy can make you feel like an absolute badass. There’s almost nothing that can make you feel cooler than doing the unexpected, surprising even yourself. Whether it’s asking someone on a date (respectfully of course) or booking a plane ticket to the cheapest tropical destination you can find, taking control of your life and doing something simply because you think it’s going to make you happy is one of the most empowering things you can do. Plus, the worst that can happen is you get rejected (they didn’t deserve you anyway!) or you get a sunburn or something. These feel like pretty manageable possible consequences to me, considering how absolutely empowered you might end up feeling. So, if you’re reading this, here’s your sign—go ask someone out, or something like that. You’ve got this.
- The potential for compliments is endless. Okay, so this seems like kinda a shallow reason to put on the list. But who doesn’t love a good compliment every now and then? Who doesn’t need one here and there? Impulse decisions, in my opinion, yield very decent chances to gain all that validation and public approval you’ve been craving. Getting a spontaneous haircut, or even dying every strand of hair on your head with a cheap, drugstore-brand neon pink dye could absolutely lead to a new-and-improved you. Ear piercings, tattoos (sorry to any moms who might be reading this, though they’re probably not), or even a totally new wardrobe that you may have gone a little over your budget to impulse-buy can transform your look. Compliments incoming. Though these will have nothing on the renewed self-confidence that you might feel as a result. (To be clear, consult a friend before making any drastic changes to your appearance. Or don’t. Either way, I am not condoning anything insane here, folks.)
- You might learn about yourself along the way. Not to be cheesy here, but doing something spontaneous might be just what you need to discover parts of yourself that you didn’t even know existed. You might try a rollercoaster ride, even though you’ve avoided them like the plague for years, only to discover that it turns out you were a secretly kickass adrenaline junkie this whole time. You never know. You could take yourself on a date even though you’ve always felt weird, say, going to a restaurant by yourself, and realize that you’re a lot more independent and self-assured than you ever gave yourself credit for. You may even start a conversation with a nice-seeming stranger only to find out that they’re the love of your life. Or, you could try a new food and decide that you’re going to spend the rest of your precious time on this earth advocating against said food. Whatever you do, there’s potential for some great life lessons in there, especially when it comes to learning about yourself. Why not try something new, then?
Okay, that’s my list. I was going to add another category that advocated for the whole, “you’re only young once” thing, but I figured everyone would see that cliche and immediately exit out of the article. And I’d never blame you for that. (Though, it’s true, and you are, in fact, only young once. So…). Either way, I genuinely hope this inspired you to do something unexpected, even if it’s just so that you can prove me and my overly optimistic list wrong. Go crazy.