It’s good to think about and plan for the future, but it shouldn’t take over your life.
If you’re so caught up about what might happen weeks, months, or years down the line, you’re missing out on the here and now, and that’s a shame. Here are 16 things that shouldn’t be on your mind all the time.
1. Whether you’ll ever find ‘the one’
Calm down, Romeo (or Juliet). The right person will come along when they’re meant to. Stop swiping through dating apps like your life depends on it and focus on being happy with yourself first. Besides, being single means you get to starfish in bed without anyone complaining.
2. If you’re in the ‘right’ career
The funny thing is that most people don’t have it all figured out career-wise, even well into their 30s or 40s. It’s okay to change paths or not know exactly what you want to do. As long as you’re paying the bills and not completely miserable, you’re doing alright.
3. Whether you’ll ever own a house
With the housing market being what it is in the UK, it’s no wonder this one keeps you up at night. But remember, renting isn’t throwing money away – it’s paying for a roof over your head. Plus, when the boiler breaks, it’s not your problem!
4. If you’re saving enough for retirement
Yes, saving is important, but if you’re constantly panicking about whether you’ll be eating cat food in your golden years, you’re missing out on enjoying the present. Start small, save what you can, and remember that future you will figure it out.
5. Whether you’ll ever pay off your student debt
They’re a pain, sure, but they’re not going to send you to debtors’ prison. Make your payments (which is pretty easy if you’re employed, since it’ll be deducted automatically), and try not to think about the total amount too much. It’s just a number, right? (A very large, scary number, possibly, but still just a number.)
6. If you’re ‘behind’ compared to your peers
Stop scrolling through social media and comparing your life to everyone else’s highlight reels. Your journey is your own, and there’s no universal timeline for life achievements. Plus, who knows what’s really going on behind those perfect Instagram posts?
7. Whether you’ll ever be ‘successful’
Success is subjective, my friend. If you’re defining it by someone else’s standards, you’ll always feel like you’re falling short. Figure out what success means to you – and spoiler alert, it might not be what you think it is right now.
8. If you’ll regret not having kids (or having them).
This is a biggie, but here’s the thing – there’s no crystal ball that’ll tell you if you’re making the right choice. Whether you want kids or not, own your decision and stop worrying about a future you can’t predict.
9. Whether you’ll ever get in shape
Forget about that ‘beach body’ and focus on being healthy and feeling good. Your worth isn’t determined by your waistline. Besides, dad bods are in now, right?
10. If you’re wasting your youth
Spending Friday night in your pyjamas watching Netflix isn’t ‘wasting’ anything. It’s called self-care. You don’t need to be out partying or travelling the world 24/7 to make the most of your youth.
11. Whether you’ll ever feel like a ‘real’ adult
Even people in their 50s sometimes feel like they’re faking it sometimes. Adulting is hard, and nobody has it all figured out. As long as you’re not setting fire to your kitchen while trying to boil water, you’re doing fine.
12. If you’ll ever overcome your fears and insecurities
Everyone has fears and insecurities, even those people who seem to have it all together. It’s part of being human. Work on them, sure, but don’t expect to wake up one day completely fearless. Where’s the fun in that?
13. Whether you’ll maintain your friendships as you get older
Friendships change, and that’s okay. Quality over quantity, remember? The ones who matter will stick around, even if you don’t talk every day. And hey, making new friends as an adult is an adventure in itself!
14. If you’ll ever feel financially secure
Unless you’re planning on winning the lottery (spoiler: you probably won’t), financial security is more about managing what you have than having a certain amount. Focus on building good habits now, and future you will thank you.
15. Whether you’ll achieve all your dreams
Plot twist: your dreams will probably change as you get older. And that’s fine! Be open to new possibilities and remember that not achieving a childhood dream doesn’t make you a failure. Maybe young you just didn’t realise how cool other stuff could be.
16. If you’ll ever ‘figure it all out’
Spoiler alert: you won’t. Nobody does. Life is a constant process of learning and adapting. So stop stressing about having all the answers and enjoy the ride. After all, if you had it all figured out, wouldn’t life be a bit boring?
