If you’ve ever found yourself struggling between doing what you love/want and doing something “serious”, you will definitely relate to this empowering piece written by Bibi over at OMGILOVEYOURHAIR.com. Catch snippets after the click.
Since college, I can’t count how many people I’ve met who have dealt with the struggle of managing a serious job with what they actually want to do, be it fashion designing, singing, acting, pivoting from becoming a doctor to teaching, etc.
For me, it was changing from the traditional paths of economic development (working in the UN or other development institutions to building out platforms like Giist, and ITKWorld). In fact, truth be told, I still get a little scared when I think about doing this full time soon but I feel even more fear when I think what my life would look like 10 years from now if I didn’t do the work I’m doing today.
My girl Bibi – entrepreneur and friend of the site, encapsulates the struggle and offers some inspiration on her latest blog post. Catch a snippet below:
I was talking to a friend of mine at a July Fourth Party held at the Embassy about what she wanted to do next. She worked at the Embassy and was married to a diplomat. This meant that her life for the next 10 years at least would involve moving to a different country every four years.
She expressed the desire to go back into acting. I could see the passion and fire light up when I asked her about her acting experience in her home country. She recounted how she loved what she did but ended up going back to school to pursue a second degree, so she could get a “serious job.”
Her parents didn’t want her to be a “starving artist”, so she ended up taking the traditional path of employment doing something that was more stable but didn’t necessarily feed her spirit.
At a crossroads, I look at the two paths before me, one that is more traditional and one that involves more creativity.
I’m scared.
Fear.
Why?
Because I have no idea how to go about it, it’s not considered serious work and why throw away all those years of education to free fall into something that might not be successful?
But you know that feeling you get, weeks, months or years later, knowing you should have gone after that dream?
Yea, I don’t want to feel like that.
I’ve always been the one out of my group of friends to plunge into the unknown, always with a plan of course.
I always let go of what I know, what is comfortable and march, scared sh*tless at times, into unchartered territory.
Talking to her made me realize that although you may take detours in life, whatever God sent you here to do, will continue to gnaw at your spirit until you birth it.
Although this is going to sound super corny, one of my (virtual) mentors always says, “ Remember the world needs that special gift that only you have!”
Read the rest of the piece here, at Bibi’s blog – OMGILOVEYOURHAIR
How do you relate to the post? Share your experiences and reactions in the comments section below.
