GL's Ultimate Guide To Being That Girl

Transform your year from mission: impossible to mission: Be amazing.

- Brittany Taylor

Every fall, you hit the halls thinking the same thing: This year, you’re going to be That Girl. You know, the one with straight A’s, who is editor of the school paper and has an awesome social life (with a cool crew).

But somewhere between landing a spot in the starting lineup and campaigning for student council, you find yourself careening down Homework Mountain and caving to the nasty naysayer in your head. Not anymore! Here are (surprisingly) easy ways to get in the right mindset for your most amazing year yet…

SILENCE THE “I CAN’T DO IT” VOICE BY, WELL, DOING IT

The start of the year is the best time to get after a big goal. Sure, you may be shooting for the moon...but just because you’re aiming high doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Besides, you know what that corny classroom poster says: Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.

DEEP BREATH.

Work backward to tackle overwhelming goals. Start with what you want to achieve, like making the all-state choir. Then, list each step you need to take to make it a reality and set a deadline for completing each task. The progress you make as you cross off each step on your list will keep you working toward the finish line.

PUT THE TOUGH STUFF FIRST

You know that one thing on your list you’d rather clean out your closet than complete? Yeah, do that first. We know it stinks, but once you get the job done, you’ll free up time for the things you truly love.

TUNE IT OUT (OR TURN IT OFF).

And by “it,” we mean everything. Your feed. Your cat. Your chipped nails. Tell the world you’re taking an hour to focus on something important, set a timer and work hard until you hear that ding. You’ll be surprised by how much you can complete when nothing else is begging for your attention.