Saturday, February 6, 2010

the very large question of what you want to do when you grow up

lately I find myself being faced with this question a lot. I mean really a lot. And I know that people mean well and ask because they are genuinely interested and hopeful for me and the wide open gulf of unknown that is my future right now, but the fact remains that every time I am asked this question I am faced again with the fact that I really don't know the answer.
and I realize that for some reason I am
talking as though I am under the impression
that there should be one clear answer to this question.
in all likely hood there isn't.
and there wont be.
for most people.
ever.
but wouldn't it be nice
if there was??
At this time in my life I suddenly have a lot of freedom - not necessarily options mind you, because I have to actually get offered a job before it is an option - but I currently have the freedom to choose a direction and run with it. To decide this is the thing that I have always wanted to do and now I am going to put all my time and energy into making it happen.
if I wanted to go back to school, I could do it.
If I wanted to actively pursue a career in one certain industry, I could do it.
and now that I am faced with all of this freedom, with this multitude of directions that I could choose to go in, I am finding that sometimes having endless options make the choice harder.
I need to narrow it down.
(Mind you, I do NOT have the luxury of deciding that what I want is to do something artistic and creative that will not provide any sort of real paycheck - because I am responsible for paying my own rent these days and if I don't put food on my table, no one else will.)
So... what to do.
In trying to find a place to start
I think about all the different things I love.
to travel
to take photographs
to make books
to write
to read
to organize
to be outdoors
to be with poeple
to cook
to create just about anything...
But then my practical side kicks in.
darn that practical side...
and I wonder how I can turn those things that I love into a practical, money making career.
Hmmmm.
I will be at my current job until April.
So I have approximately 3 months
to figure out what I want to do,
find an amazing job in a city I want to live in,
and get that job.
I had better get started.

3 comments:

  1. From that list I'd say travel writer.

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  2. Oh I so sympathize! This has always been my problem too! I feel like all the things I'm really interested in have no financial future in them! Or if they do I am not the kind of go getter who makes it happen! Sigh. Good luck! Travel writer does sound good :)

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