You spend almost all of your childhood and youth in school.
Pre-school, kindergarten, grade school, middle, and then high school. Now, it’s time for college. Some go right into college with their career
path in mind. The first few semesters,
maybe even years, maybe you aren’t sure what you degree you want to get that
ideal job that you aren’t sure of yet.
And that’s ok. The third year of
university rolls around and you finally “make your choice”. You definitely don’t want to disappoint your
parents. I mean, they are probably
paying a pretty penny to put you through school. Or maybe you’re paying for your schooling
through loans, on your own. Either way,
you definitely don’t want to “waste” your time in university. Everyone around you seems to know what they
want to focus on. What career they want
to go for with the degree that they’re aiming to graduate with. But you, you still aren’t quite sure. Should I just major in psychology because
it’s pretty common? Maybe communications? That seems pretty easy. How about business? I think I might want to
be in business of some sorts one day.
Possibly? There isn’t much time left before year four approaches. Your
parents, friends, and family are asking you what you’re studying. Who do you want to work for when you
graduate? What company will you apply to?
You insecurely and disingenuously give an answer that you think they
want to hear. But you now in your heart
of hearts that you just aren’t sure of your passion, purpose, and path after
you graduate.
I share this because that was me. I was never that person who knew exactly what
I wanted to be or do. Some people know
from an earlier age what they want to do.
Become a doctor. A dentist. A nurse. A teacher. A dancer. Sell houses. Be a chef. Well, not
I. I studied various fields while in
university. I held a multitude of odd
jobs throughout the years. I knew things
that I liked to do and things that I was good at. I knew what I definitely was not interested
in and had no desire in doing. Despite this, I still didn’t know what I wanted
to do for the rest of my life. It’s a
common feeling to have pressure from family and society expecting you to go
right from college and straight into a career.
Then “work your way up the latter” and hold some “important” title so
you can make a good salary to pay off all of those student loans. Save enough to then buy a house so you can
start a family. And live happily ever
after. Isn’t that how the fairytale
goes?
Well, not my fairytale.
When I graduated from university, although I had a bachelors degree in
hospitality and tourism management, I didn’t know what direction I wanted to go
in. It just didn’t sit well in my heart
to just settle for any career that I could get using my degree. Nothing felt right. Nothing sparked any
excitement. I be fair to myself, I was
only 22 years old. How can a 22 year old
really know what they’re meant to do for the remaining 60+ years of their life?
(I mean, yes, some people do know so my story wouldn’t resonate with you). At 22 years old, isn’t that when learning
should begin? Isn’t that when you begin to really learn about yourself, about
life, about relationships, about what kind of person you want to be, about what
direction you’re meant to take? To be
frank, you’ve been stuck in an institution your entire life thus far. Brick walls, predetermined lesson plans, the
same path that every other child is forced to take? How COULD you know what
your true passions in life are? How COULD
you know what life means to you? How
COULD you know what kind of person you want to be? How COULD you know what your purpose is?
It takes exposure and exercising all of your senses. It takes meeting interesting old souls and
holding meaningful conversations. It
takes challenging yourself. Making mistakes and learning from them. Trying new
things. Learning about all of the opportunities out there, not just what is
common and told to you. It takes finding
your creativity. Seeing new places. It takes being awoken, being heartbroken,
getting healed, gaining and losing, growing and learning. It takes
experiences. Hearing other languages.
Feeling compassion, gratitude, highs and lows.
It takes a lot more to really understand and know what you’re mean to do
and the impact that you want to make on the world.
That’s why I chose to travel. Right out of university. I dismissed what “society expected” of
me. I knew that my journey needed
enrichment. I knew that there was so
much out there for me to learn and experience.
I knew, in depth of my soul, that I would figure out what my purpose and
passion are when the universe wanted me to.
Yes, it took years. Nearly a decade to be exact. But that’s the amount of time that I was
awarded. I can lie and say that it was
all smooth sailing but, it wasn’t.
Especially as I neared turning 30.
I found myself putting internal pressure on myself. I often questioned myself on why I didn’t
know what career I wanted. I could
either give in to all that I stood for. Lose my integrity and just
“settle”. Listen to everyone asking me
“when I would stop traveling and settle down” or when I was going to get a
“real job”. But I chose to trust in my
journey, because it was MY journey.
And it worked. All of that time that I was spending
traveling the world, working various jobs, learning about myself, experiencing
all that I was meant to be experiencing, allowed me to figure out my ideal
career. Those years exposed me to the voids
and problems in the travel industry, it brought people into my life that taught
me lessons and gave me perspective, it gave me clarity on who I was and my
values, it showed me what was important to me and what wasn’t, it exposed me to
trends and desires of travelers, and everything else that I needed to learn in
order to create my dream career.
You go girl! Best mentor ever:)
ReplyDeletethank you!! <3
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