There’s one thing that really bugs me: when people say things like, “I’m not sure you should do that,” or “That looks difficult/complicated/impossible… if I were you, I wouldn’t.” It annoys me because most of us just follow the same routine without ever questioning it or challenging life. You go to school, graduate, work for 40 years to pay off debts and then maybe, just maybe, retire in a small house and finally start enjoying life in your 60s.
I don’t want that.
I don’t want to wake up at the same time every day, go to the same office, do the same work, and come home tired and frustrated, hoping that maybe, at the end of the year, I’ll get a month off to relax. I want to wake up with the sun or at noon if it feels right, explore the world, meet new people, and do something meaningful with my time, my money, and my life.
So why do people try to stop me from doing that?
I’ve always enjoyed challenging authority, whether it was with teachers, parents, or bosses. I never wanted to study German just because it was the more prestigious option. I preferred learning Spanish so I could communicate with most of Latin America. I moved out on my own at 17, even though it meant having little money and comfort at the start. It pushed my boundaries and made me work hard for everything I wanted.
I knew I couldn’t stand having a boss for my entire adult life, so when I quit my last job after two years, having saved enough money to start my independent life, my boss was puzzled. It seemed crazy to him, but I didn’t care because my life is about what I want, not what others expect from me.
My parents might have pictured me as the perfect student, calm and well-behaved. But in the end, they were proud of me for living independently and following my true desires. Even though they were hesitant at first, they saw that I turned out just fine. My boss imagined I’d stay at the company until retirement. People get used to their routines and expect you to do the same because they find comfort in the familiar. I find that unbearable.
It takes a lot of courage to tell your parents, “I don’t like the plans you have for me; I want to do something else with my life.” It was tough during high school, but when I decided to travel the world after graduation, it was easier to announce. I had been financially independent during college, so I didn’t owe anyone anything. But think about having to tell your parents you’re gay, want to become a priest, or want to travel the world—anything that’s out of the ordinary. You have to be truly passionate about whatever you want to do, or else people won’t believe in you, making it harder for you to believe in yourself. They might even take pleasure in seeing you fail.
And if you do succeed, those same people will be quick to say, “I knew you could do it, I never doubted you.” But do they really mean it? Honestly, I don’t care what people think and never have. Some see me as a crazy girl traveling the world, wondering where I get my money from, probably imagining my poor mom sends me checks every month. Others might be jealous and stay silent, eyeing me with envy as they go to their boring jobs every day. But some are inspired by what I’m doing and use my journey to become who they truly are.
I have a friend who used to have dead-end jobs for years. He was in debt and depressed, never considering that life could be different. We talked about changing his career, and he was worried. But in France, there’s a fantastic program that lets you go back to school with company funding while keeping part of your income. He studied interior design, loved it, quit his 9-to-5 job, and pursued his dreams. It took him a couple of years of hard work, but now he runs a small but growing business and has never been happier.
The point is, you don’t need to be who others want you to be. If you don’t take chances, you’ll never get anywhere. As scary as it might seem, if you do what you love, you’ll do it better than your current job, and the money will follow. You’ll also be happier, and the people around you will appreciate you more for being your true self.