You can still be who you were meant to be without meeting everyone’s expectation of you. You can still be proud of what you accomplished without their approval or recognition.
Even the well-meaning people who told you exactly what you needed to do to “make it” or to be successful in life still have their own mountains they are trying to climb. You may not have been able to do everything the way everyone wanted you to but you will become who you were meant to be, anyway.
And through it all, you are allowed to change. Your interests can change. You might want to do one thing for a while and then, it looks different a year or a decade from now. You don’t have to pretend you like doing that thing because everyone else enjoys it. You can enjoy things for a season. You can be excited for a friend without feeling like you have to go down the same path. You can work a “regular” job and be absolutely content where you are. You can leave it all and start something new. Perhaps it’s up to you, and you can change. And perhaps, no matter the direction you choose, you will be met with mountains and valleys that shape you.
There’s no one way to “make it.” Everyone’s story is different and it was meant to be that way. You can be inspired by the stories of others without comparing. You can be involved in your industry without doing things the same way as your peers. You are allowed to try new things. You are allowed to pivot and even fail and learn and try again.
Your life is a story, but it is is not a two-hour length movie that ends with the protagonist figuring out exactly want she wants to do with her life. It is a decade-into-decade winding path through the mountains, filled with inclines and decline you won’t be able to predict. And through the highs and lows, you will find that change is not only okay, but it is necessary for your growth.
Sincerely,
MHN
