This morning I was having a conversation with my boyfriend and our conversation literally went like this. I wasn’t exactly sure how to respond at first. Should I be offended or take it as a compliment?!
But I was already laughing it off, as he didn’t even think he said anything out of the ordinary (I guess he knows me pretty well by now). Anyways, this got me thinking about normal versus traditional paths in life.
I’ve always been one to try out new places and take on new jobs and attempt random activities, then look back later and evaluate. Anybody with me?
In college, I would take internships in the coolest locations instead of the ones with the best pay and benefits; I realized early on that it’s not simply about work-life balance, but creating a life where you can do work you love around places and people that make you feel alive. For the most part, all of these new paths created adventures I would have never experienced had a taken a traditional job.
I can’t tell you the number of times my dad hinted that I should be getting a salary 9-5 job. Does this sound familiar? Maybe your parents also have an idea of where your life should go. What I do know is that though he only wants the best for me, had I went the traditional path that he’d suggested, I’m 99% sure I wouldn’t have experienced most of what I have in my 20s. And to be honest, I’m pretty sure my family loves vacationing in Jackson Hole:)
If you aren’t sure which route you should take in life, I would challenge you to take the wisdom you’ve learned throughout your life, and then form your own personal lifestyle based on your passion and the impact you want to create.
The world needs YOU! Everyone else is free to be who they want, so make sure you are living the life that YOU want, and not someone else’s plan for you.
Remember, there’s always more than One Way.