Almost Thirty, pt. 3

I’m officially on the ten day countdown until thirty! Here’s part three of my feature “Almost Thirty”.

Today’s post: Things don’t always go as planned.

 

The amount of times I have changed my “plan” in life is countless.

In my early twenties I wanted to be a journalist – the next Diane Sawyer to be exact, so I went to school for Broadcast-Journalism. I soon realized that as much as I adored being in the limelight, I was not cut out for the business of news. I was too much of a softy at that time in my life, and lacked the maturity needed to overcome personal obstacles and stick out the program.

By my mid-twenties, I wanted to save the world (or at least a part of it) and work for a global non-profit, so I went to University for Communications and Global Studies, and did everything I could to set myself up for success after graduation. I did the co-op work program, I volunteered with different organizations, I mentored younger students, and I worked non-stop in the service industry to pay my bills and show potential employers my work ethic.

Well, needless to say, I didn’t have it all figured out and I am not on the local news, or attempting to curb the Ebola crisis with Doctors Without Borders.

My “plan” didn’t unravel the way I envisioned it would but life isn’t about having a plan, at least I’m starting to see it that way. Some of the best things that have happened to myself and my loved ones have been completely out of the blue.

I met many people throughout my twenties who had lofty plans. For example, “by the time I am 27 I will be married”. Or, “I will go to university, work hard, get straight As and get the job of my dreams by the time I’m 23”. Buy a house by 30, travel the world, save the world, and… the list goes on. Life doesn’t always work out according to the “plan”, but that is often because life is what’s happening when you are busy making plans.

It’s not really that my plan that has changed… I have changed. My whole life has taken some dramatic turns over the past few years, and I didn’t expect any of it. I didn’t “plan” on falling in love, or moving across the country. I didn’t “plan” on having difficulties getting a career-related job and continuing to work in the service industry, but this is how my twenties have unravelled. And today, I am happy to say I couldn’t be more at peace with my life.

Ten years ago I would of never guessed that this is where I would be when I turn thirty, but more importantly, I would of never guessed this is who I would be. Maybe the lesson here is that we do our best to enjoy life as it unfolds. And that’s the plan.

In your early twenties did you have a “plan”? Did your plan ever alter its course?