One Year

August 5 marked the one year anniversary of the day I moved to Connecticut to begin the post-graduation phase of my life. So today, I’d like to raise a glass.

But we’re not celebrating me. We’re celebrating you and your impending first foray into the real world.

Your life is unequivocally yours now because no people or institutions control you anymore. Obviously you still must abide by societal rules and expectations, but you’re intelligent enough by now to differentiate right from wrong.

If you have just begun this next phase, or are just about to, I want you to grab a pen open a new notebook. Mark the date in the top right corner and title the first page, “The Beginning." Excitement, nervousness, anxiety, happiness, sadness--whatever emotions you're feeling right now, write about it. Whether you continue writing after this page is up to you, but I want you to revisit the notebook in a year so you can compare and contrast the new you with the old you.

Here’s my entry for August 6, 2017, when I was 21 with a clean slate in my new apartment in my new state, the day before I started my new job:

“Well, Troy, tomorrow’s the big day. Look at you. You’ve got everything in order. Now YOUR LIFE is finally under control. I’m going to wake up early tomorrow and get back to doing what I do best: outworking everyone and destroying my competition. Being disciplined and organized and cutting the bullsh*t. Make the most of it. Be professional, be a grinder, but remember to be a kid too. Find that balance. Go in tomorrow and show them what you’re made of. Be punctual. Be driven. Be a nice person that’s fun to work with. You’ve been waiting for this. You’re ready. And remember, fear is a myth.”

Fast forward one year, and I’m confident I’ve lived up to this passage from a year ago. I have every aspect of my life under control. I believe I’m hustling more than others in my demographic at my company. I cut out unnecessary objects, activities, and people from my life so that I can focus on my priorities. I’m professional in the clothes I wear and how I present myself to others. But, I’ve also abandoned certain adult responsibilities in favor of enjoying activities that young people like. Yeah, I’ve made some dumb mistakes, but I don’t regret them. After all, the growing process is rarely linear. I’ve learned how to balance my job with my passions outside of the office and I’ve reassessed my priorities, which has miraculously created a bunch of free time for me. So one year later, I’m proud of where I am.

It's exciting to think about, but I caution you not to get wrapped up in the future. I learned in my first few months that thinking so far ahead into the future causes more harm than good. A long and arduous journey awaits us, and opportunities for mobility and upward advancement simply don't present themselves often early on. So just focus on day-to-day improvements because it's ultimately those that will lead to long-term growth. As T.K. Coleman says, “The best way to get where you want to go is by embracing and respecting the possibilities of the present moment.”

Everything will take care of itself if you're a good person with a good head on your shoulders. So write down today how you’re feeling. Maybe you’re scared. Maybe you’re not. Either way, I want you to keep that notebook handy and pull it out in 365 days to read, reflect, and then write another entry for your second year.

My story began a year ago, yours begins now.

Cheers to you.

Troy Farkas is an aspiring writer. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram @tfark04.