As a child, you start to form an idea of who you want to be when you grow up. We do this partly because of what we see on TV and in movies, as well as because of our society. When you start school, people immediately begin to ask you what you want to grow up to be. Although they mean well, it sets us up for disappointment in the end.
The reality is that most people don’t stick to the plan they had when they were 5, 10, or even 20. You may not be where you planned to be in life, but that’s okay.
My Life Turned Out Much Different Than I Thought
When I was 5, I told the world that I would be an actress. I took drama lessons and was in all my school plays. It was only a few years later that I realized that acting was not only too difficult a career, but it also wasn’t my calling. Needless to say, I’m not in Hollywood right now.
Another plan I had for myself was to travel the world. I thought that by the age of 25 I would have seen it all and would have been to every continent in the world. It was foolish of me, but I believed that by now I would have been to South America, India, Iceland, and Japan at least twice. Although I have done my fair share of traveling, it’s nowhere near as much as I thought.
The thing is though, I’m not unhappy. I’m not upset that I didn’t become an actress and I’m honestly excited that I still have places to travel to for the first time. The plan that I set out for myself wasn’t realistic. So, I’m not beating myself up for not sticking to it.
The Timeline That You Created Isn’t Important
I’m not the only one who hasn’t stuck to their life plan. In fact, I’d say that it’s rare to find someone who does stick to it. Sadly though, most people are so hard on themselves for straying away from their made-up timeline. The thing is that there’s no point in being upset because that timeline was unimportant anyway.
There is no rule that says that you need to have your career sorted out by 25, that you need to get married at 28, and that you need to have children by 30. You can do whatever you want at any age. As long as you’re happy with what you’re doing, there’s nothing wrong with that.
Let yourself live and stop worrying about timelines and life plans. Figure it out as you go and have a damn good time doing it. Trust me, you’ll be much happier that way.
Most people aren’t where they thought they’d be in life right now, and that’s completely fine. Maybe you don’t have your dream career yet, the family you wanted, or the perfect partner. Whatever it is that didn’t go to plan, don’t worry about it. Everyone lives life at their own pace. In the end, everything is going to come together for you.
Do you know someone who’s been feeling upset because they didn’t stick to their life plan? Share this article with them to let them know that it’s okay.
