Life has a funny way of surprising us, huh? Such a cliche, I know, but it’s funny because we spend most of our lives planning and dreaming of the future. From the time we are little we are taught to plan ahead. “Plan where you are going to college, and plan what you are going to study, and plan what you will be doing for the rest of your life.” It’s all supposed to be so calculated. It feels like you are going down a checklist with every expected milestone that you achieve, but what happens when you just stop checking off items from this generic #lifegoals checklist? We spend so much time and effort creating these plans and we expect them to somehow fall into place at the right time, but sometimes they don’t. 

When I was little I had it all planned out. I mean...I thought I did. I’ve always been a big dreamer. Still, to this day, I can close my eyes and concoct whatever scenario I would like to experience in my head. I can daydream my worries away and romanticize any situation. It’s a quality that I’ve always loved and feared about myself. Loved because I have the gift of truly being able to fly away with my thoughts, feared because I often cannot bring myself to reality. It’s a tough place to land, but somewhere between dreams and reality, I always thought that I would follow the checklist: go to college, get a job, get married, have kids, etc., but I’m here, halfway, and I feel like fuck checklists.

If you are into it, that’s cool. Anything that makes you a happy human should be your aim, but we shouldn’t expect others to follow this very centric path. Society does this, because humans are creatures of habit. We want normalcy, and we want for things to be easy and uncomplicated, and we want everyone to be on the same playing field. When someone deviates from what is expected, it is not easy to understand why, but outliers aren’t always bad. Not everyone has to be on the same path and you don’t have to lead your life blindly checking off requirements to be a part of the norm.

What I’m trying to say is that everyone has their own timeline, and that checklists are kind of bullshit because, in the end, they are meant to be rewritten. It’s a part of life. As you grow and gain experiences, different needs will arise, and you have to start again with a new list. You can’t always control what boxes you’ll be marking off, but you can add and change things as you go. So, stop worrying about where you’re supposed to be in comparison to everyone else. Think about the future, but on your own terms, and always keep in mind that you have the power to shape your own way. The future is unpredictable, but figuring it out is the fun part.