26AndHappy

I am 26. I was born in 1987. I recently read that the average age for childbearing is now younger than the average age for marriage, and by the age of 25, 44% of women have had a baby, and 38% have been married. I do not have a child and I am not married. And I am perfectly okay with that. I am 26 and happy.

I am putting together a list of things that people should do before they have a baby or get married… Before the Facebook status goes from ‘its complicated’ to ‘married to so-and-so’ and before my entire news feed gets bombarded with your baby pictures. We get it, you’re happy. But so am I. So, you ask.. What makes you so happy? I am not saying my list are the exact reasons I am happy- but everyone should do this.. just once and live a little for yourself before you have to stop being selfish, and start caring for another human being – baby or husband/wife. Here it goes.

 

1. Travel.

2. Have your heart broken.

3. Get caught doing something bad. Like stealing. Not drugs.

4. Donate your hair.

5. Kiss a stranger.

6. Get your degree.

7. Let someone else do your taxes.

8. Get a tattoo. And while you’re add it, get a piercing. Maybe not at the same time, but just do it.

9. Let your 4-year old niece put makeup on you

10. Try CrossFit

11. Get a puppy. It can only prepare you for kids.

12. Call your parents, and tell them that you love them.

13. Shoot a gun.

14. Run a half marathon.

15. Start a 401K.

16. Laugh out loud in the car by yourself.

17. Throw up from a long night of drinking.

18. Etch your initials in a tree.

19. Build a sand castle.

20. Sleep naked.

21. Leave your phone in the car when you are out at dinner.

22. Start a blog.

23. Hand write a letter to someone. And mail it.

24. Vote.

25. Read a book. And not only because you saw a movie preview of it. Read it before you have any idea what a character will look like on the big screen.

26. And finally.. Love yourself.