What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?
As a child I can remember many people asking me things like “what do you want to be when you grow up?” or “What will do when you graduate?” and questions like “Are you sure that’s what you want to do?” Over time I followed a path that I believe would take me where I was meant to be and stay there forever. When I was a child, I wanted to be a Marine Biologist. That was my dream. Unfortunately, life took me in a different direction, and I am totally fine with that. I also wanted to be a nurse, a teacher, a journalist, and a social worker. We have lots of dreams when we are young, but we can lose that free thinking as we age.
There were 3 key components for discovering my life journey, my life purpose and exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. These always came back to me over the years. I want to share them with you. I still think about them.
1. It is OK to follow your own path:
So many times, we become what others expect up to be. We follow in the footsteps of our parents or mentors. We discover in high school that the most common questions we would be asked were “what are you doing after graduation?” or “where are you going to college?” At the time perhaps you knew where you were headed and felt confident in that. You excelled and found your calling. That is amazing! For others, it was different. It was a struggle to do what others expected, and resist what was calling to us. Following your own path can take time. I will tell you that it is a beautiful thing to follow what holds meaning to you.
2. Keeping up with the Jones:
There is no doubt that society will compel us to follow what others are doing, where they are going, how they think, how they believe and getting it all before turning 30. Great. But is that what you truly want, or is it something you believe you must do in order to keep up with others? It is not a bad thing to want what others have and reach for that. If it brings happiness to you, then go for it. But is that all you want to live into each day? Maybe you want to volunteer, take classes, improve your education, or start a side hustle. Those are just a few examples, but the sky is the limit. If you did not get the chance to pursue some things in the past that were meaningful to you, think about doing it now.
3. Time will pass no matter what you do:
This is my signature thought and has returned to me at many stages of my life. There were times I felt as if I had achieved all I could and set limitations within myself to stop trying. To stop dreaming. While I was in graduate school and working 3 jobs to make ends meet, I decided then, that time was passing no matter what I was doing. It was during those years that I became more determined to follow my own path. Some years my progress was slow, other times it was crystal clear and moved quickly. Remember, that days, months, and years will disappear and what have we done with that time? It is never too late to pursue something new and different in your career. It is never too late to take that vacation and travel. It is never too late to keep learning and expanding your mind. If you are not sure what that “something” is, it is a good idea to give yourself permission to brainstorm ideas, to think about how you define your personal success and to pursue that dream. Time is passing. Step outside of your comfort zone. What do you want to be when you grow up?