Eliminating negative self-talk is a big part of having a growth mindset. For example, instead of saying, “I’ll never be able to do this,” you might say, “I messed up that time, but I know I’ll figure it out eventually. " Whenever you mess up, own up to it! You miss out on the opportunity to grow and learn if you make excuses or blame it on something or somebody else.
With a calendar app, you can also set reminders for yourself so you don’t forget anything, even if you’re not the best at checking your calendar. Don’t forget to “schedule” free time as well! Even if you have school, work, and other activities, you still need time to yourself to recharge and do your own thing.
For example, suppose you have a part-time job at a café and you really enjoy making the signs that are displayed out front with daily specials. That could translate into a career in graphic design, marketing, or social media. Whatever you decide now isn’t set in stone—plenty of adults pivot to different careers after years (or even decades!) in the workforce. But it’s still a good idea to narrow down your options early on.
Income: Enter the lowest amount. For example, if you make between $150 and $200 a week from your part-time job, you would budget $150 a week. Necessary expenses: Bills you have to pay each month. For example, if you pay $50 for your mobile phone, that would be a necessary expense. Savings: Budget 20-30% of your income. For example, if you earn $150 a week ($600 a month), you would budget $120-180 a month to put into your savings. Discretionary expenses: These are expenses that you have regularly but aren’t necessary—stuff like going to concerts or movies or ordering takeout. Experts recommend budgeting 20-30% of your total income for this category.
If a 401(k) isn’t an option, open a Roth IRA. If you’re not 18 yet, talk to your parents about opening up a custodial IRA for you—once you turn 18, you’ll have complete control over it. [6] X Research source In addition to retirement, keep a savings account with about 3 months’ worth of expenses for emergencies. [7] X Trustworthy Source US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau U. S. government agency for protecting consumers in the financial sector Go to source
Apps such as NerdWallet, WalletHub, and CreditKarma offer pretty much the same services—it’s really just a question of which one you like. If your parents have good credit, talk to them about adding you as an authorized user on one of their credit cards. They don’t even have to give you a card or access to the account! When they make their payments every month, that payment history will go on your credit report to help boost your score. Focus on developing good habits with credit now to save yourself a lot of money in the future—especially when you go to finance those big-ticket purchases, such as a car or a house.
Getting involved in your community is a great way to work on your communication in different contexts. For example, you might volunteer on a local political campaign—that’s a great way to practice talking to a lot of different people!
Start by making spaghetti! It’s a good basic meal that’s hard to mess up. All you really need is pasta and sauce. Add sausage, ground beef, or any other meat for protein. You could also add vegetables, such as onions, green peppers, or spinach, to the sauce for flavor and variety. Eggs are also cheap and easy to cook in many different styles—and there’s nothing wrong with having breakfast for dinner! Make a stir-fry with rice and veggies for another easy option. You can change it up pretty easily just by adding different veggies, meat, or sauce. Whatever you put in it, you still cook it basically the same way.
Start your day by making your bed. A made bed makes any room instantly look a little neater, and you’ve already accomplished your first task of the day in just a few minutes. Before you go to bed at night, spend 5-10 minutes picking up and cleaning. You can even set a timer—when it goes off, just stop. Even if you have a lot of clutter, 5-10 minutes away will gradually eat away at it. Organize things you use regularly in a way that’s convenient and makes sense to you. For example, if you always drop your jacket on the floor when you come in your room, you might find a hook for it that you can put right next to the door.
For example, if you have any photos on social media of you at parties where there was underage drinking, you definitely want to get rid of those. Open a LinkedIn account and use that as your “professional” face. Google pushes it to the top of search results, so if someone searches your name, it’s the first thing they’ll see. Now’s also a good time to set up an “adult” email account if you don’t already have one. A couple of years from now, you don’t want to be looking for jobs with an email handle like “kawaicutie7. " Good adult email addresses are typically some combination of your name and initials, such as “jthoward” for Jenna T. Howard.
For example, if you like the outdoors, you might get into gardening. Many areas have community gardens where you can volunteer some time (and get free produce for your effort). If you love acting, get involved with a local improv group or your local community theater. They need people to work backstage, too, so you can find a spot there if you like fashion, makeup, or even carpentry.
If you’re really passionate about the environment, you might join a local group that picks up litter. You’ll meet other people who share your passion and make a positive difference in your neighborhood. If you love animals, volunteer at your local animal shelter. They often recruit young people to walk dogs, for example. Nursing and retirement homes love young people who volunteer to come and hang out with residents.
Go to bed earlier. Getting enough sleep will help you feel more relaxed and focused. Write in a journal for a few minutes each day. Journaling helps you stay in touch with your own thoughts and feelings and learn more about yourself. Try deep-breathing exercises when you feel anxious. Just a minute or two of deep, focused breathing can help slow your heart rate and calm your mind. Take a walk in nature. Research shows that spending at least 20-30 minutes immersed in nature reduces the levels of stress hormones in your body. [16] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School’s Educational Site for the Public Go to source
Taking the stairs instead of the elevator Walking or biking rather than driving or taking public transportation Dancing to your favorite music in your room Doing jumping jacks or squats during commercial breaks Going outside and walking around while listening to a podcast
You never know who someone might turn out to be or how they might impact your life. When you treat everyone with kindness and respect, you acknowledge their importance as a human. Also remember that you don’t know what someone else is going through. That stranger who snapped at you rudely or cut you off in traffic might have just lost their job or have a deathly ill loved one at home. Do what you can to be the highlight of someone’s day rather than the low point.
It’s often pretty easy to make friends when you’re a kid, but it gets harder as an adult. Community sports leagues and hobby groups can help. If you’re religious, join a church or faith-based organization near you. It’s a great way to meet people who share your values. Keep in mind that a large social media network doesn’t necessarily translate to having a lot of friends offline. In addition to online friends, you also need local people who can support you and do things with you in person.
Ask Roo is a service provided by Planned Parenthood where you can ask any questions you might have about sexual health, human bodies, relationships, and more. All of Roo’s answers are created by professional sex educators, and the app is always 100% free to use. Amaze offers brief, animated videos on topics related to puberty, healthy relationships, STIs and HIV, personal safety, pregnancy and reproduction, gender identity, and sexual orientation. The videos and resources on the site are always free and available throughout the world. Go Ask Alice! is a team of Columbia University healthcare providers, academics, and researchers that answers questions and shares resources on a variety of health-related topics, including sexual health information.
