Our world shapes us into who we are. The good, the bad, the ugly; it is all learned, disciplined, controlled by the exposure of our world. But as we age, were less impressionable. We grow into our own. We make our own sense of the good, the bad, the ugly; we craft our very own disciplines and choose what we expose ourselves to. That is adulting, and it is beautiful.
I am almost 20 years old and I am ready for this process. From the time I was young, my whole family would say I am an old soul trapped in a young body. In many ways this has been a blessing to me. It has allowed for me to see the greater picture in all aspects of life.
I wouldn't say I am a conventional college student. That certainly isn't me. And for a moment the other day, I got nervous and thought, " well why isn't that me?" I started to question whether or not I played life safely. If I am allowing for life to pass me by, instead of taking control of it.
It is not that I would like to necessarily partake in those particular activities, like every other college student. But I genuinely felt this sense of time, rush over me. As if I didn't have enough of it. Like I am wasting my youth.
I centered myself. I recognized that I am not "wasting" said youth, but I have a different concept of it. Where others see recklessness as a choice, I see adventure. Where others see graduating college as our last years to live, I see the beginning of life.
It is all about perspective. I am not wasting time, but understand the value of it. The challenging part of being an old soul in a sea of new souls, is not many quite understand you. Except for the few you allow in.
Everyone has this traditional view towards life. That were young, we rage, we graduate, we work, we marry, we have kids, we stop living for ourselves and start living for others. And it is because of traditions and concepts like these, that has the youth so shook.
Just because you plan on marrying, settling down, creating a family, does not mean your world ends. And if that is how you view life, than I feel sorry for your perceptions of how the world works.
It is 2019- and the view of the world is shifting. My view of the world is shifting. I am forming my very own thoughts. My very own ideas. That traditional lifestyle, the one that is so perfectly clean, mapped out, and unchanged for generations. I plan on making some adjustments and so should you.
Your life is intended to be full, it just depends how you want to fill it. Just because we grow older and life begins to become more complicated; that does not mean we have any less incentive to live it.
My parents were married at age 23. It was a different world then. The thought of being married at 23 now, send me into hysterics. It is comical actually. Where I envision myself at 23? Traveling, making an impact. Meeting new people, loving myself in all my entirety. Focusing on me. And finding the adventure.
My parents are 47 now. Where do I envision myself at 47? I am a mother, I am settled, I find the adventure in the little things, and I still take time to love and take care of me. I plan on bringing my children on all my adventures.
To teach my children the power of self love, so they never doubt themselves as much as I once did. To understand the greater picture. That to be human means to evolve, change, grow. To understand the value and need for alone time. To know that every culture, everyone, and everything deserves respect and love.
What worked in past, does not always mean it will work in the present. We all beat to our own drum. To change the motions and create your own routine. Our time is not limited. Every moment you are alive, is a moment to better yourself, love harder, smile brighter, to find the adventure. No moments are wasted.
Abandon the mentality that our younger years are the only years we can live. It is a minimalistic thought like that, that makes the largest impact on our qualities of life. Choose different. Make sense of the world, in a way that is best designed to you. For you are your longest, most precious, commitment. Always, not just in youth.
Adulting, you're beautiful. And I can't wait for you.
