You CAN Make This Up!

Firefighter --------> Screen Printing company ----------> Home assessor 

 Welder --------> Outdoor gear company owner ---------> Metal artist 

 Financial Advisor ------------> Stay at home mother of 3 

 Shy, quiet wallflower ----------> Teacher ---------> Public speaker 

 School counselor ----------> Aerial yoga instructor 

^^This is a small sample of a list I just made in my head. I tried to think of everyone I know who pivoted in life, or re-wrote their story, or took a different road.

Seeing all the winding, branching paths life can take might be intimidating or overwhelming. Back in the day, I couldn’t wait to graduate college and get settled into a job so I could live comfortably and happily ever after. I never imagined wanting to re-write my story or get on a different path once I was in a groove. L.O.L.  ...That was three careers ago. I wouldn’t say I’m in a comfort zone now, but I am fulfilled, passionate, and growing.

Our whole message this month is that “You can start over as many times as you like.” This doesn’t just mean in careers either. In friendships… one could go from being the friend who always drops everything to help everyone or always picks up the tab to the one who knows how to accept help and establish boundaries. At home… one could transform from the tired, grumpy, martyr who always picks up after everyone to the cheerful, direct, badass who makes her expectations of all family members clear. In a career… one could morph from the employee who is always overlooked for promotions or cool projects to the one who becomes creative, dynamic, and essential to the company.

There is no limit to how many chapters you add to your story, friend. Have you ever heard the song “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield? (If you were alive in the early 2000s, you probably did. 😆) I highly recommend going and listening or at least looking up the lyrics.

“Unwritten” is a great way to look at your story. I think many of us were born into a life that seemed all planned out for us. Our parents put their hopes and wishes on us. Our schools told us what “smart” path we should take to be successful. Society in general told us to do things a certain, acceptable way (i.e. college >> career >> marriage >> kids >> retire >> Florida). The problem is, even if it wasn’t ill-intentioned, that stole the pen from our hands. It made us think the book was already written and we had no choice but to go along as the main character, no matter how much it didn’t seem to fit.

Guess what though? Our parents are not the authors of our stories. Key characters, maybe, but not authors. Same goes for teachers, advisors, best friends, spouses, and mentors. They make the story more interesting and dynamic, sure. But WE get to decide how the story goes. We get to say Yes or No to whatever we want. We get to change our hair color or wardrobe on a whim. We get to cut toxic relationships out of our life without a moment’s notice. We get to go back to school, get married or divorced, start a business, close a business, make new friends, or move across the world if it pleases us.

We are holding the pen! We truly can just make it up as we go! Exclamation points! Because this is a big deal!

I hope you realize how powerful this makes you, Beautiful. Fill that blank page in front of you with whatever you want and believe you’re worthy. You get as many chapters as you want.

“Feel the rain on your skin
 No one else can feel it for you
 Only you can let it in…”
-Natasha Bedingfield

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