To those who are trying to decide where to go next,
I never would have defined myself as daring.
Sure, I was a kid who was often too curious for her own good and I would take leaps that ended in scratched up knees. But there were also times of success where my feet would land on solid ground. There are some lessons you will never fully understand until you experience them yourself.
I only began to consider myself as daring when I entered into my senior year of high school. It was a time of high anxiety; nothing but a blank sky lay in the future. For most of us, it's the beginning of everything.
And it's terrifying.
Writing was a career I was told was too daring in this day and age.
It was supposedly flooded by wannabes and hopefuls that never truly got a running start or touched any sort of success by the standards that others saw. I was told it wasn’t a stable career; it wouldn’t be able to support me financially, but it could always be there as a side job.
I have been writing ever since I was capable of doing so. My mind was made up by middle school that I would be a writer until my old age. Of course I went through a series of rocky phases where that thought was replaced by another, one seemingly more “responsible".
I let the fear of failure get to me. I let it sleep with me, eat away at my mind and at my confidence in the craft I depended heavily on to understand the world and to understand myself. I spent restless hours going through pages of possible careers that someone would find respectable and not just a careless risk.
But again, I fell back into writing.
Now, this isn’t anywhere near to a success story. I’ve only just begun college.
I got here by my own choice and persistence that writing was for me, and by believing that I held endless possibilities for my future. Truth is, there is no way to guarantee anyone’s success. It's truly up to you.
Whether you're willing to put in the work to pursue what you love is up to you, but if it's something you love, it isn't work.
The biggest question I asked myself last year while applying to colleges and trying to decide what I was going to pursue past high school was,
“If I don’t do it, will I regret it?”
For me, it was an immediate yes.
Writing has been and always will be a part of me. It’s what gives me life, a voice, and a source by which to discover more about the world and others.
Now that I'm settled into college with my eyes set on creating my future and sharpening my craft, I am glad that I followed what I knew was right for me. I feel confident and excited for all of the possibilities. I'm no longer terrified of the unknown; I lean into it more and take each day as it comes.
Some may call me daring, but I'm just following my dreams.
Choosing a direction at a young age is intimidating. There are endless possibilities to what one can do with their life and I believe that your life isn't made for one thing.
To those deciding where they are to walk next: there's an entire life ahead of you. You don’t need to know everything right now, as terrifying as it might be to not know what the future holds. Whatever you choose to do, let the decision be yours, not the echo of another’s wishes.
And no matter where you are in life, remember to do what makes you happy. If you aren't doing something that makes you happy, then why are you doing it?
Life is meant for living.
Do what makes you feel alive.
As Always,
Rachel.
What's your opinion?