Finding Your Destiny

Trying to build your future career goals in your early 20s has got to be the hardest task in the world. You’ve probably dreamed of being an astronaut or doctor when you were a little kid; but getting to this point in your life, it seems so unreal. You’re either pressured into a career by society, family, or you just straight out have no idea where your life is headed.

Trust me when I say I know exactly what this feels like. I dreamed of being in the military, or even one day being in a cliché white collar office job to climb the corporate ranks into success. I’ll also say that when I finished high school two years ago, that I had absolutely no idea where I wanted to go next. I was stuck between chasing my childhood dreams or going off to university like everyone else my age and figure it out from there. Getting into post-secondary slowly faded away when the funds just weren’t available to a small town girl like me. Yet, my life was still going to be starting with or without my mind made up.

Trying to help myself choose a path to follow, I went full swing into taking a variety of jobs to see if I could find somewhere to fit in. Jumping from the fast food industry, health & wellness, customer service and even health insurance. I tried everything my town and province could provide for a girl with no schooling to make something work, but nothing made me say “ I love my job.” It had nothing to do with the people, but the fulfillment of turning those jobs into a full swing career just wasn’t there.

Truly, I felt lost. It took finding my current job to realize that despite feeling alone and lost, that I wasn’t the only person going through something like this. It’s much too common that young adults are unsure of who they’re suppose to become as an adult, but where are we suppose to turn for guidance? It’s a cultural norm to head to college after high school, and sometimes we’re just plain shamed for waiting. It took me up until now, two years later, to finally feel that I have my life set into motion on a path I feel that I belong on. I went from serving chicken nuggets at McDonald’s to now working in the Alberta Oil Sands as a full-time security officer. I waited to find my path, and I couldn’t be happier.

What I want to make known out of this, is that it’s OKAY TO WAIT. You do not need to know what you want to do right out the gate. There will never be a rush to find your perfect career. If it takes three months or three years, it’s your journey. Own it.

The career you find yourself the happiest in, will be the one that makes yo wake up every day and not regret choosing it. Don’t be alarmed or worried when your “dreams” don’t end up how you thought they were going to. If you know where you want to go in life, congratulations! If not, let your career find you. The jobs you never expected yourself to be happy in will always surprise you when you need it the most.

So slow down, and enjoy your 20's while you have the chance to still make memories. Waiting is always a choice.