Honest Advice For The Rest Of Your Life

The rest of your life is waiting. Sitting there, an unopened book just wanting, needing you to fill it up with page-turning events, laugh out loud chapters and a sense of 'can't put it down' when it comes to your story. This is for those of you in limbo because you might not be sure where it is that you're going, what it is that you're doing or what the rest of your life will entail, but now is your time. So take a deep breath, calm down and remember, it'll all work out. Here's some honest advice for the rest of your life from someone who doesn't really have her life together but hey, I'm working on it...

1) Career

You know that old saying 'do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life'? Well, it's a load of horseshit. I love what I do and I work every single day (hungover or not). It's so very important that you love your job because it makes those 50 hours a week a lot more managable. What's the point in getting up every day, miserable, to drag yourself to a computer and sit there like a monkey, crying internally and wishing your boss would fall off a cliff (no old jobs are coming to mind here, of course). Life is hard enough, make sure that you're actually living yours, not just surviving. Take a happy life over a huge pay packet because believe me, my rich friends would gladly swap lives with us poorer, happier peasants any day of the week. Except Saturday, because that's what they live for, of course.

2) Relationships

Are you happy? That's it, that's all you have to ask yourself when it comes to relationships. Fuck the excuses, the 'things will get better', the 'we're going through a rough patch' and the 'I can't leave them in this state' reasonings, your life is short, stop letting precious months trickle by with some soul sucking leech clinging to you when the true love of your life could be out there waiting. Relationships are difficult, heart-wrenching, stomach dropping and more complicated than performing a lobotomy sometimes, but in your gut, you'll know if it's really worth fighting for. Be yourself, be independent and strong and you'll attract the right people faster than you can say 'cat lady for life'.

3) Friends

Bad friends are like cold sores, they come and go, but you'll never really realise how much of a pain in the rear they are until they pop up and cockblock the life out of you. Similarly to a good relationship, you'll know when you've got yourself a good friend. They're the ones who turn up when you need them most. The ones who listen to your problems without using their own as competition. They're just generally really great people who make the 'I've got a boyfriend now, screw you, see ya when this one fails' friend look like shit. Or, more accurately, look like themselves.

As you get older and wiser (HA), you'll outgrow certain friends, become closer to others and realise that quality is far more important than quantity, so always make time for your friends and they're bound to do the same for you.

4) Personality

If I could give people of the world one piece of advice it would be this: don't be a dickbag. Nobody likes a dickbag. The age old 'treat people as you would like to be treated yourself' goes a long way, but is something that a lot of (dickbags) would do well to remember. So, to all the bullies, the loudmouths, the internet trolls and the nightmarish bosses out there, just remember, nobody likes you (when you're being bad you). We all have to start somewhere, so be polite and friendly on the way up, in case of the possible journey on the way back down. Stand up for what you believe in, stand up for yourself but do it in a way that doesn't make people nauseous. A friendly face sticks around a lot longer than a sour one, remember that sweet cheeks.

5) Family

Your family is your everything. Flesh, blood, love, hate, life, death and the first people who taught you that you shouldn't forget where you come from. A ferocious, strong family makes you a tougher, more determined person through and through. The older you get, the closer you'll probably become to your family, and the more you can appreciate how difficult their job was (nice one guys). As your family ages, spend as much time as you can with them, create and capture memories, make more of an effort and for Gods sake, ring your Grandparents every once in a while. (Oh and to my parents, I'd like to apologise for everything I said and did between the ages of 0 and 17. For not leaving me in a box on the side of the road, I am eternally grateful.)

6) Ambition

Sit down right now, clear your crumbling mind and pick out a plan for the rest of your life. Sounds ridiculous, yes, but think of it like this. How much more effectively do you work when you have a study plan, a to-do list or a reward in sight? Much better, in my experience. Write down your wildest dreams, circle countries you want to visit, pick your dream house, your fast car, tell yourself you'll do anything to get there and then, starting today, get those wheels in motion, kickstart a better life for yourself. But, remember, this is your life plan, not your parents, your lecturers or friends. It's yours. Do what you and only you want. Make yourself proud and earn respect through hard work, enjoying and living life. Just don't start the list while suffering from a stage 11 hangover. It won't end well, believe me...

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