I’m 20 years old living at home, unemployed with no driver’s license. There are plenty of reasons to feel shitty about that. And, I think there is nothing wrong with feeling like this. Pain allows you to be honest about where you are.
This year so far I’ve realized a few important lessons:
- Preparation is key
College is something I did not fully consider. I think I stopped prepping beyond getting in and falsely believed I’m now ‘safe’ and any further thinking doesn’t need to be done. Of course that’s not true. You always have to have a plan and execute on it.
2. Stick to the plan and create another plan on the side
Since entering college, I realized I suffered from ‘career FOMO’. Every few months, it seems that there was a new career that caught my eye out of excitement or just to escape from the drudgery of taking STEM classes. I still have this issue but feel less impacted by it. I’ve chosen a major as an anchor and have given myself permission to pursue other interesting subjects through other mediums such as clubs or personal projects (like this blog).
3. Opportunities don’t come to you
Many times I would be in exasperation as to why others seem to be more ahead in life than I am. For me, it really was simply a lack of trying and lack of planning. Before any of that, it required self-reflection. Sometimes, that comes with a push from those around you. I asked myself, ‘What do I enjoy?’ ‘How can I spend my time?’ ‘What steps do I need to take to make it possible?’
4. Vision boards are the bomb
A few weeks ago, I felt pretty unmotivated after my spring quarter of sophomore year. I was inspired by my family to create a vision board for the goals I want to achieve in life. I took heed by going online and researching images that capture my goals. I put on some music and started the process. I was able to have a lot of ideas and felt a huge rush of motivation.
What lessons have you learned when you felt stuck in life?