“All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I’ve been
And how I got to where I am
But these stories don’t mean anything
When you’ve got no one to tell them to
It’s true, I was made for you”

— The Story, Brandi Carlile

Hi friend. Yes, the you Brandi is referring to is you, sweet reader on Medium. Also, I know what you’re thinking, I’m 25, how many lines do I really have on my face? The answer is enough, for now.

If I had to…

Call it being realistic, call it being cautious: worst-case scenario thinking is exhausting. Just the fact that a mind can concoct such intricate and elaborate scenarios is already troublesome. But to play them on loop and find them in the brightest of places? That’s some real trouble.

In psychology, worst-case scenario thinking has a name: catastrophizing. This cognitive distortion basically leads you to overestimate and exaggerate the probability of terrible things happening. Like all of your worst fears and nightmares are suddenly on the table as possible outcomes at all times. …

Hypocrisy is one of my ultimate pet peeves. The little Libra that I am gets all sorts of triggered by injustice and things that just don’t seem fair or balanced. As it turns out, I am not the only one. In general, people get more triggered by hypcricy when it involves negative criticism and judgement because it taps into perceived injustice. And no one likes that.

Alas, I too am human. I too commit my own hypocrisies. Then I get annoyed at myself. How on earth did I fall into that trap!?

The truth is, keeping up with a high…

Financial struggle is mainstream for people in their 20s. It’s not a glamorous trend, nor is it one that we want to be joining in on, but it’s a common issue. Let’s face it; life is particularly messy during this stage, and so are our wallets.

If you’re a millennial like me, this can be quite a disappointment. From early on, it was made clear that if you were competitive enough and set your heart to something, you could achieve it. …

As I look through my camera roll, I can find many pictures of the sun as it sets. I find images of magical skies that radiate their luminous tones of orange, pink, and blue. I find other images that look like God taking a long stretch before winding down for the night.

Goodmorning to another day of Medium bonuses. If you haven’t realized it yet, you will soon. The bonuses are making their second guest appearance. But this time, you can either find yourself an amazing surprise ($500), a great surprise ($100), a happy surprise ($50), or a sad surprise ($0).

Some are banking it in for the second time, while others are just joining the gang. Then there are the second time rejects. It’s tough, I know, I am one of them. But for all you other rejects out there, there is still hope! Leonardo DiCaprio had to be nominated 10…

Although I have been a reader on Medium for longer, it was only this March that I decided to finally take a wack at becoming a writer too. So I bought myself a ticket and got on the train.

Although it has only been a minute, I have already discovered many things on this great platform. I thought I would share 3 of those things in celebration of these 3 months that I have been here for. I hope they can serve as useful or relatable in any way.

1. The Internet can be a kind place after all

The internet is, like anything else, something that has the potential…

WRITING PROMPT

Hello there!

Welcome to Mind in the Gap’s first-ever monthly writing prompt!

As writers, sometimes we find ourselves stuck on what to write. When the sky is the limit, it can be easy to end up staring blankly at the sky, with everything and nothing going on in our minds.

So here is a prompt to help you get the juices flowing! I hope it serves as a fun source of inspiration. I have been loving the intergenerational submissions of the writers in this pub, and cannot wait to read more of your wonderful stories!

June’s Prompt

Wedding season is officially in! Depending on…