26.
07:59
"You're in your prime!"
Why do people keep saying this to me all the time at the moment? Possibly because they're trying to humour me, reassure me and be too kind while I whinge loudly about my scruffy, tired, dodgy-fake-tanned appearance every day. Or possibly because they actually think it, and I'm not sure which is worse. I instantly feel the need to let people know that I can do better, I CAN put more effort in to my appearance and I CAN look better than this.
We've got a very casual dress code in my office, and boy do I take advantage of that. Today I'm wearing a grey hoody with foundation around the neck and ripped jeans with lentil soup on the leg. (Lentil soup because I'm on a horrific diet which makes me want to dive into a swimming pool of burgers and chips). I went to sleep with wet hair last night because I was just too tired to dry it and I woke up with a tangled nest on my head. So, after sleeping through my alarm, it was forcibly tied into a sort of pineapple bun with straggly bits hanging down around my face and curls sprouting sideways. I was going for shabby chic and it just didn't come together for me.
I swing between the extremes - I either step out of my house looking like a crack addict or I've spent ten hours on the perfect smokey eye, contoured cheeks and poker straight hair. I feel like someone truly in their 'prime' would look effortless, glowing and radiant every day. So, that's that.
"You don't need to have your life totally sorted yet!"
This is probably true. But usually when (older) people give me this advice it's followed by a story about how they were married at 22 and fully immersed in their life-long career by 24. I know times change and they are only saying this to explain how 'that was then'... and I know I'm further ahead than some of my peers, but the pressure I put on myself and the sheer amount of over-thinking I do is just not healthy.
Don't get me wrong here - I don't want to get married, or grow up too quick but I do think it's harder than ever for our generation to enter the world of 'real' adult hood. How are we EVER going to afford a house? Do we have to rent forever? But then, we can't even paint walls or put up shelves and that's so irritating. And if we have to rent forever, we can't even save any money 'for a rainy day' because renting drains every bank account we own. In which case, can we ever risk changing jobs... if we can even find a job when four thousand people apply for every role. If it doesn't work out and we get immediately fired (dramatic, yes), how will we pay our bills? And if everything goes to POT, will our parents accept us back into their homes?!
"I don't think you need to lose weight, BUT...
- a healthier lifestyle will make you feel better about yourself
- it's nice to get more toned and defined
- you might enjoy exercise, it's a good way of meeting new friends
- it will help your energy levels and you'll sleep so well"
These are all really polite ways of saying 'GET YOURSELF TO THE GYM WOMAN'. Sometimes, we all throw the net out there and fish for compliments about ourselves. You know, when you start a conversation with a self-depreciating tone and hope that one of your audience will pick you up with "you're absolutely perfect as you are." This reply doesn't happen for me anymore, and it's definitely been a '26' thing. Reassurance has been so lacking that I spent a good couple of hours Facebook stalking myself to see if I was drastically thinner when I was 25, but I had to conclude that I am much the same. This made me think that it's because I am now OLD, and those around me are worried that if I don't do something now I will spend my 30's / rest of my life obese. Like, maybe they feel I'm on a slippery slope these days and that the weight will just creep on.
Anyway, as mentioned above I have put myself on a diet and booked myself into three-times-weekly Zumba Tone lessons. I've been on the diet a week and a half and do genuinely already feel a little less 'cuddly'. I have to agree with people that being more toned would be a delight, and that a healthier lifestyle can only benefit me, but I wouldn't say I'm someone who will ever 'enjoy' exercise. Maybe it's a middle-aged thing, that exercise suddenly becomes absolutely necessary so that you don't turn into a sofa slug, and up until this point I was winging it. Panic stations.
Why do people keep saying this to me all the time at the moment? Possibly because they're trying to humour me, reassure me and be too kind while I whinge loudly about my scruffy, tired, dodgy-fake-tanned appearance every day. Or possibly because they actually think it, and I'm not sure which is worse. I instantly feel the need to let people know that I can do better, I CAN put more effort in to my appearance and I CAN look better than this.
We've got a very casual dress code in my office, and boy do I take advantage of that. Today I'm wearing a grey hoody with foundation around the neck and ripped jeans with lentil soup on the leg. (Lentil soup because I'm on a horrific diet which makes me want to dive into a swimming pool of burgers and chips). I went to sleep with wet hair last night because I was just too tired to dry it and I woke up with a tangled nest on my head. So, after sleeping through my alarm, it was forcibly tied into a sort of pineapple bun with straggly bits hanging down around my face and curls sprouting sideways. I was going for shabby chic and it just didn't come together for me.
I swing between the extremes - I either step out of my house looking like a crack addict or I've spent ten hours on the perfect smokey eye, contoured cheeks and poker straight hair. I feel like someone truly in their 'prime' would look effortless, glowing and radiant every day. So, that's that.
"You don't need to have your life totally sorted yet!"
This is probably true. But usually when (older) people give me this advice it's followed by a story about how they were married at 22 and fully immersed in their life-long career by 24. I know times change and they are only saying this to explain how 'that was then'... and I know I'm further ahead than some of my peers, but the pressure I put on myself and the sheer amount of over-thinking I do is just not healthy.
Don't get me wrong here - I don't want to get married, or grow up too quick but I do think it's harder than ever for our generation to enter the world of 'real' adult hood. How are we EVER going to afford a house? Do we have to rent forever? But then, we can't even paint walls or put up shelves and that's so irritating. And if we have to rent forever, we can't even save any money 'for a rainy day' because renting drains every bank account we own. In which case, can we ever risk changing jobs... if we can even find a job when four thousand people apply for every role. If it doesn't work out and we get immediately fired (dramatic, yes), how will we pay our bills? And if everything goes to POT, will our parents accept us back into their homes?!
"I don't think you need to lose weight, BUT...
- a healthier lifestyle will make you feel better about yourself
- it's nice to get more toned and defined
- you might enjoy exercise, it's a good way of meeting new friends
- it will help your energy levels and you'll sleep so well"
These are all really polite ways of saying 'GET YOURSELF TO THE GYM WOMAN'. Sometimes, we all throw the net out there and fish for compliments about ourselves. You know, when you start a conversation with a self-depreciating tone and hope that one of your audience will pick you up with "you're absolutely perfect as you are." This reply doesn't happen for me anymore, and it's definitely been a '26' thing. Reassurance has been so lacking that I spent a good couple of hours Facebook stalking myself to see if I was drastically thinner when I was 25, but I had to conclude that I am much the same. This made me think that it's because I am now OLD, and those around me are worried that if I don't do something now I will spend my 30's / rest of my life obese. Like, maybe they feel I'm on a slippery slope these days and that the weight will just creep on.
Anyway, as mentioned above I have put myself on a diet and booked myself into three-times-weekly Zumba Tone lessons. I've been on the diet a week and a half and do genuinely already feel a little less 'cuddly'. I have to agree with people that being more toned would be a delight, and that a healthier lifestyle can only benefit me, but I wouldn't say I'm someone who will ever 'enjoy' exercise. Maybe it's a middle-aged thing, that exercise suddenly becomes absolutely necessary so that you don't turn into a sofa slug, and up until this point I was winging it. Panic stations.
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