You know the drill people. We're told that we need to live by words such as success, passion, purpose, accomplish, direction, goal, action, etc. to create our happiness. Is that right or wrong?

Here's how I feel lately... We're basically told our entire existence that high school would prepare us for the real world. Then, most of us are told that our college experience (in an academic sense) prepares us for the workforce and for the real world. Right? Then upon graduation, we enter both of those things - the workforce and the real world and we choose a career path that defines our passion; gives us purpose. And of course, we thrive and we succeed and we live happy lives. Yes?

But wait... all of that seems so backward, right? I thought I was born into a real world. I thought that I was not only preparing for life after education in high school but throughout my entire life. Oh and don't our passions and dreams define our career paths? WHY are we told these things? WHY does society get to determine the paths we take?

For the past three years, I have been spinning in circles just trying to figure out what I am meant to do with my life. I have spent weeks taking assessments that are supposed to tell me what I am destined to be when I "grow up" and "get a job" - and nothing. I still have found absolutely nothing that I think that I will enjoy enough to do for the rest of my life. Do you want to know what I have found? I have found that IT IS OKAY. Let me tell you why.

Here's what I'm saying... I know what I am passionate about. I love my family. I love spending time with friends. I love talking to all kinds of people. I spend my days building others up because that is what we as humans SHOULD do. I do not do this because it makes me feel good - but because of how I feel when I see how good others feel as a result. I love my part-time jobs and the connections in which I have built within them. I am passionate, I have a sense of purpose, I am successful in most things that I do. I live a happy life and I even love my life. Am I worried about what path my life will take and where I'll end up? Sure - but not because society says I have to be. I work hard and I have a sense of self like no other. Isn't that enough?

You see, I know that those are the things that I am passionate about right now - and that is what matters; right now. 10 years from now I may not feel this way but it is important that I acknowledge that while I may not know where I'll be in 10, 5, or ever 2 years - I am happy right now. I do not and will not allow my happiness to slip away from me during moments of stress like not knowing what I am going to do with my life when I graduate college and you shouldn't either. IT IS OKAY. It is sooo okay people.

This life we live... it is not about how successful we are. It is about how happy we are. Jobs and success are very important - you will never see me say that they are not. BUT I do believe that you should be happy with whatever you do in life in order to make sound decisions such as what career paths to embark on and such. My daddy tells me all of the time if you do not enjoy what you do - you will not be happy. So listen - go out there and ENJOY life. Find your passions and your pleasures and active them. BE HAPPY. You should allow your passions to define your path based on happiness and then sit back and see where your life takes you. I believe this is more important than any 9-5 with benefits or travel opportunities with a big corporation. Do what you want to do and not what you should do. Thank me later.