Since graduating from college, my journey has been quite a challenge filled with a moving back home with my mother, failed jobs, broken hearts and lots of confusion. I've never been this type of person before. I prided myself on my confidence and motivation throughout my teenage years and early twenties. I loved the path I was on, the people in my life and the direction I was going. However, the minute I stepped out of my university's doors, I was hit with the reality of I had no idea what I wanted or where to begin.
Thankfully, I came to realize I was not alone. Through my research and discussions I was having with my peers, 20-somethings all of the world are experiencing the same realization. These years are proven to be filled with anxiety, doubt, fear, and confusion. There is no longer an academic plan, or a set schedule of balancing class, work, and play. It is purely up to the individual, which is a daunting skill to master.
Personally, I find it extremely difficult to know what I want and be 100 percent confident in my decision. I fear rejection and failure, and it frightens me to put all of myself into something with a chance of it not working out.
When my worst fear came true and I found myself unemployed and dumped by my serious boyfriend, I was slapped hard by ultimate rejection. After a few weeks of grieving, it suddenly clicked. Here I was at a low point and I was still alive. In a way, I started to see the light of rejection and that it wasn't the end. Instead, it was a force or energy pushing me towards the direction I wanted. I had survived, and I still had passion and drive to pursue what I really wanted to do. It was time to take action because my fear of not living out my dreams and settling for less was worst than my fear of failing.
Thanks to the help from the brilliant Dr. Meg Jay and her life-changing book, "The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter And How to Make the Most of Them Now," I made my decision to commit. I signed up to teach English in Cusco, Peru for six weeks and then move to New York City to pursue my dream job of being an editor. I made a promise to myself to stop being passive, and I began a solid plan to reach my dreams. I created a helpful guideline to ensure clarity and to hold myself accountable:
1. Clearly write your goals and set a timeline for when you want to accomplish them.
2. Build a dream board via Pinterest or a collage out of magazine clippings/internet images.
2. Commit.
3. There is a high chance you will feel regret and develop cold feet, but look back at your dream board/goal list and remember what you are working towards.
4. Avoid negativity like the plague and GO FOR IT!
xo
Ani