Credit: @howdoyouadult
I often like to ask people I'm coaching: Which of these looks like a more interesting life when you step back at the end of it?
Because many of us have been conditioned for so long in binary and linear thinking, we hate the idea of life as a "jungle gym." We want to get to the "top" of our ladders - to that very small square inch we consider "success" - and we want to get there now. Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong if you're a ladder person and you've found one you feel wonderfully fulfilled climbing, but many of us are afraid to get off of it simply because it's the only understanding of success we know. What if we started considering all of it success? A beautiful journey we have the opportunity to grow and experiment and give back through?
It's ok to pivot. It's ok to take time off. It's ok to do something unrelated to your long-term career trajectory. It's ok to "fail." It's ok to "fail" again. It's ok to go to Plan B. It's ok to go back to Plan A. It's ok to do something for a shorter time than you expected. It's ok to do something for a longer time than you expected. It's ok to step away to start a family, a side hustle, or give yourself necessary self-care. It's all part of the bizarre piece of art called life we're constantly contributing to.
What are you going to do with the rest of your life does not have to be a one-word answer.
Disclaimer: While occasionally I include research and insights from my graduate classes in clinical psychology on my blog, I am not at this time a licensed therapist or mental health provider and therefore no content on this blog or website should not be considered or serve as replacement for therapeutic advice.
