Stop Playing It Safe | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

Stop Playing It Safe

It is not too late to do what you have always wanted to do.

7
Stop Playing It Safe

Human beings need security. You need to know that everything is going to be okay and that you are safe. You grow up usually following the beliefs of some higher power, from there you are encouraged to do well in grade school because you must go to college. You are encouraged to reach high but not too high or else you might end up being discouraged. When you go to college they tell you, "pick a major that will make you successful" not "do what you love." By junior year if you don't have an internship they tell you that you're never going to make it in your field. When you graduate you are expected to get a 9-5 job and to move into your own place. Somewhere along the way you are expected to get married, have kids and live a very cookie cutter life. You must follow the social norm. Unfortunately that is our biggest downfall.

You often wonder at what point in your life do you get to do things simply because you want to not because you're expected to do them. Maybe college isn't the right track for you at the present moment. Maybe you wish to see the world while you still have the freedom to drop everything and just go. There's a voice in the back of your head however that whispers loudly "you must stay on track, you can't fall off." This track that we all follow, it's very straight with one destination. There are no stops on this track because there is no time to get side tracked. You cannot afford to fall off this track or to take a few steps back and see if this is even the right track for you. You simply must shuffle along like everyone else.

At some point down the road you will say to yourself "where did I go wrong?" You may think it is too late to go and travel the world, or to try to become a musician or to fulfill whatever dream it is that you have. You spent a boat load of money at some university to get a piece of paper that says that you are competent to do your 9-5 job. You receive a pay check every week that tells you "I am security, without me you are nothing." In the back of your mind you will always wonder what your life could have been if you chose a different track.

Stop playing it safe. It is not too late to do what you've always wanted to do.

Save up enough money then quit your job. Buy a plane ticket to London, Paris or Rome, wherever your heart desires. Bring your guitar with you. Stay in the heart of the culture. Try the weirdest thing on the menu. Meet someone who shares your passion for music. Sing cover songs with them on the street, make a couple bucks.

After a while you will become accustomed to this new life of yours. Now here's the important part. You need to reflect back on everything that you have done with your life. Your track in college and your 9-5 job or this new more free-spirited life that you are living. Which track are you most happy on? If you truly believe that you were happier with your 9-5 job then at least you can say without a reasonable doubt that you want to live your life that way, and that's perfectly okay. However if you know that a 9-5 job isn't for you, you have now established a new journey for yourself, you won't want up twenty years down the road regretting the path you chose to take.

Stop playing it safe. It is not too late to do what you've always wanted to do.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

6 Unrealistic Expectations Society Has For Young Adults

Don't let the thesaurus-inspired vocabularies in our résumés fool you. We're actually just big kids.

1955
boy in adult clothes

Well over four feet tall and 100 pounds in weight, many of us "young adults" of the world still consider ourselves children. Big, working, college-attending, beer-drinking children. We may live on our own, know how to cook noodles, and occasionally use a planner, but don't be fooled; the youthful tendencies that reside within us still make their way into our daily lives. From choosing to stay up until 3:00 a.m. playing video games on a school night to going out in 30 degree weather without a coat, we still make decisions that our parents and grandparents would shake their heads at in disappointment. So why are we expected to know exactly how to be a wise, professional, sensible adult? It's not that we're irresponsible (for the most part, anyway). It's that we are young, inexperienced, and still have the sought-after, enthusiastic mentality that we can do and be whatever we want, which has not yet been tarnished by the reality of the world. These are just a few of the unrealistic expectations that society has for young adults.

Keep Reading...Show less
pizza
Fandango

There are a lot of foods in this world, but there is only one dish that stands above the rest: Pizza. If you're close to me or at least know who I am, then you know that I'm totally obsessed with pizza. It's one of my favorite things to eat and I will NEVER turn down a slice, even if it doesn't have my favorite toppings. There isn't a day that goes by where I'm not thinking about pizza. I even sleep with a pizza pillow every night! There are many reasons why pizza stands above all other foods, and here are just a couple reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less
sex and the city
Warner Bros. Television

1. You don't have to feel guilty about flirting with customers for tips (or just for shits and giggles).

2. You can be obnoxiously flirtatious with anyone you want. You are free to be that girl that flirts with everybody and makes 'em all smile (it's especially fun when the guy is as cute as Collin Jost). No shame.

3. Making random men nervous with your superior beauty and intense eye contact just for the hell of it is really amusing and empowering.

4. No one gives two poops if ya legs are hairy (your man shouldn't either but *Kermit the Frog meme* That's none of my business)

5. The toilet seat will remain down.

6. There's more money to spend on yourself.

7. There's always this secret butterfly in your tummy that marvels at the possibility that when you go out this weekend you're gonna meet someone super handsome/wonderful/prince-like and have this moment of dazzling dalliance.

8. Nothing is that serious...you can take it all with a grain of salt...you don't owe anybody anything.

9. You can dance with anyone and everyone...or no one (Hello frat boi w/ glasses, I see you).

10. You don't have to fluff anyone's ego but your own.

11. Free drinks and dinners from single guys (It's not taking advantage if they're offering; a girl's gotta eat).

12. You have more time to learn how to love and improve yourself rather than constantly pouring your energy into another person.

13. You don't have to sacrifice your cheesy Jen Aniston rom-coms and Gilmore Girls for his Fast and Furious/other dumb action movie featuring blonde that is only in the movie to supply a relationship to the male lead and to make him look more masculine/empowered in juxtaposition (In other words, you don't have to deal with a guy being a crabby Patty while you watch your cute movies).

14. You can daydream about what your future husband may be doing right now (and not get stressed/guilty out because you're not picturing your current boyfriend that's crazy about you as your future husband).

15. There is more time to be spent with your girlfriends.

Girls Night In
Milk + Blush

We've all been there - you've been saying since Tuesday after French that this weekend is the weekend. You're finally going to break out those new heels and actually put on eyeliner on and make this Friday night be one for the memory books! That is, of course, until Girls Night Out turned into...Girls Night In.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

What Is Your Zodiac GIF?

Characteristics of the astrological signs, explained through GIFS.

745
zodiac
Wordpress

Whether you believe astrology is a legitimate "science" or not, we have all found ourselves looking at our horoscopes from time to time. The 12 astrological signs all fall under one of four elements: air, water, earth, or fire. Air signs are rational, social, and love to communicate with others. Water signs are are emotional, intuitive, and mysterious. Fire signs tend to be passionate, creative, and adventurous. Earth signs are conservative, realistic, and loyal.

Each sign is determined by the relative positions of celestial bodies to ourselves at our moment of birth, which is said to influence our personalities. Find your zodiac GIF below, based on the traits and characteristics provided by each sign.

***Disclaimer: GIFS are meant to be lighthearted and are based on descriptions of signs from http://www.astrology-zodiac-signs.com/.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments