There comes a time in life when the redundancy of every day and the repetition of doing things that we don’t truly have an interest in gets to us. I’ve always been someone who gets caught up in my own head when things start getting boring, when I feel like I’m not doing enough, or even when I constantly compare myself to people around me who I feel are more accomplished and are achieving more than me. This toxic cycle has been built into my and many other students’ heads as well. There is a certain sense of always wanting life to keep giving, especially when you’re in an environment that’s filled with people who are trying to figure themselves out, and the comparison is through the roof.
Over the past few months of 2024, I started realizing that living in a mentality where you believe that every day should be exciting is too unrealistic, and this will only lead to disappointment in the end. Obviously, as a student on a new campus, there is an expectation that every day should hold something new, but I’ve tried to train my brain to find joy in the redundancy. The moments that I just get to sit in my room eating snacks from Trader Joe’s, going to the gym late at night with a friend, or even just going to the dining hall on my own; every moment that is spent alone teaches you about how to be grateful and find happiness in the small moments.
Social media can also play a really big role in feeling like I’m not doing anything with my life, especially when seeing other people constantly posting about what they are doing. As time went on, I realized that thinking like this would get me nowhere. I had to figure out why I was constantly comparing myself to others and falling into a toxic mentality. In order to prevent this feeling from proliferating and coming back in the future, I decided to make a list of three things that I would do on a daily basis to remind myself why I should feel grateful for the things that I already have in my life.
1. Remember that everyone is different.
Falling into the cycle of comparing your life to someone else’s can be so detrimental, especially with the increase in social media usage. It’s important to remember that most people post the happiest moments of their lives, and by comparing your entire story to their highlights, you will end up falling into an unrealistic circle that causes so much negative stress that it’s just not worth it. Remember that your life and experiences are unique, and your “fun” moments would necessarily be coordinated with other people.
2. Find joy in the little things.
This is definitely easier said than done. By catching ourselves when we feel ungrateful or unhappy, we can reduce the effects that this toxic cycle can have on our mental state. It’s important to remember that life is so precious, and the simple things we get to experience daily should not be taken for granted.
3. Live your life with purpose.
Whether or not you feel like your life is always exciting or surprising in new ways, it’s important to remember that there is a certain reason why we are going through and experiencing what we are at any given moment. Finding purpose and reason in our small day-to-day activities can lower expectations and make us feel like there is more waiting out there for us rather than questioning why everything feels so redundant in the present.
