Sometimes We Just Have to Enjoy the Ride of Unknown
By: Rosemary Montes
When a child is asked what they want to be when they grow up, depending on their age, they usually answer a princess, superhero, doctor, firefighter, or President of the United States. Realistically, children are not going to be what they say they want to be at the age of five, ten, or even fifteen. Is it important for a child to dream of their future, or is this instead setting them up for failure? Society is constantly faced with the question, “What am I going to do with my life?” Although this is a very necessary question to answer, the pressure this loaded question contains can drive a person crazy.
Other than worrying about their futures, adolescents and young adults are faced with other worries too, such as insecurities, societal approval, and fully emerging into adulthood. The pressure of all these, combined with trying to become independent, is the main reason many people 17-23 years old feel lost in life. Most people are too prideful to admit that they have no idea what they’re doing in life—especially the young people. Why is this? The pressure their parents or guardians may put on them, constantly reminding and comparing their adolescence to their childrens. Another big reason is the pressure society places on Americans to have their whole life ready before entering college: picking a major, getting internships, building careers and networking. Many don’t realize that young adults are frequently affected by depression because of feelings of failure that come from not meeting high standards.
Many Americans are stuck in a career that they are not happy with. They live for the paycheck and not the enjoyment. There is another percentage of Americans who have jobs, but not careers because they might not have had the resources or lost opportunities to gain a career. Besides the small amount of people who actually love what they do, Americans have settled for the paycheck rather than their happiness.
What most people don’t see is that being lost is actually an opportunity. When you have nothing to lose, that’s when you should try to accomplish your dreams, because you’ll be less vulnerable to the fear of failure. There will always be feedback that is unwanted, but one of the greatest quotes for motivation and jealousy is by Lord Tywin Lannister, “A lion doesn’t concern itself with the opinion of sheep.” When someone is too busy bettering themselves, they do not have the time to worry about anyone else’s progress.
The main thing to take away from this is that there are so many who are just as lost as you are. It is okay to feel lonely and lost, but know that you are not alone. Life is about the unknown journeys that best shape us. Taking the unknown will help us grow more than the safer routes that are suggested.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/adolescents-explained/201912/teenagers-dont-know-everything