Maybe now or some day in the future you’re going to feel the weight of it all. Carrying your own baggage makes one appear strong, but the tiredness lingers invisibly. At nineteen years old, it’s times like these where a girl could begin to feel hopeless, but I’ve come to learn that this is a part of life: the realization that people come and go. Your life is moving and shouldn’t be taken for granted. The lyrics “so for now it’s only me and perhaps that’s all I need” by Ariana Grande come to my mind constantly as we enter the sweet season of spring. Words can serve as a gentle reminder that you don’t need anyone to feel complete. In many ways love forms internally when you learn to care for yourself in the way the world does not.
The biggest lesson that comes with becoming your own best friend appears when you stop relying on specific people as your only source of happiness. The simple truth is that people grow up and most of the time their new lives stop aligning with yours. When people stop making time for you or simply don’t reach out anymore, you shouldn’t feel less worthy; take it as a sign that they weren’t meant to be in your life permanently. Ultimately, this presents the opportunity to seek happiness anywhere else. I like to do this by focusing on doing activities that bring me joy to do on my own. For instance, driving to a favorite coffee shop and treating myself to a drink or visiting the nearest bookstore and spending hours flipping through new books to add to my collection.
Recently, I spent a good afternoon at a place called “Downtowne Books” near UC Riverside that made me feel super at peace. While it would have been nice to have someone that could accompany me, it feels pleasant to know that you can be there for yourself when others aren’t. It’s always the “little things” that end up becoming the most valuable aspects to your wellbeing at the end of the day. Similarly, here is a list of things you can enjoy on your own near Riverside, California. Like most, I used to believe that this was such a lonely way to spend my days, but I’ve found comfort in knowing that there are hundreds of people also living in their own little worlds.
Another aspect to being better for yourself includes setting and achieving goals. A major part of self-identity and discovery revolves around knowing the person you want to be. For example, a productive goal to set for yourself can be starting a side hustle to earn extra cash, joining a club to gain more areas of experience, or even going to the gym on your own. These are all easy ways with which you help evolve to feel more successful and comfortable.
Personally, I made it a goal for myself in 2024 to travel somewhere in the world I’ve never been for the sake of creating new experiences. For this reason, I’m anticipating a trip abroad by the end of June with a new group of friends. While the prospect of traveling apart from my family for the first time is nerve wracking, I’m glad to finally make use of this new independence and create a life for myself outside of my hometown. It’s a liberating feeling to put yourself first and have somewhere in the world that’s calling your name. This year is all about growing up and becoming a new version of myself, which I highly encourage all readers to follow in pursuit of self-fulfillment!
