Don't Go to College

What I mean is...don't go to college if you don't want to. 

In this lovely country we all live in, we are raised to go to school, play nice with kids, graduate from high school (make sure you are at LEAST in drama club - wait, make that Student Council), go to college, rack up a mountain of student debt and live off ramen while doing so, then try and find a well-paying job. Start a family. Raise them to graduate from high school, go to college...it is a cycle that needs to be broken and turned into whatever shape an individual decides to create.

I am 27 and have about 20 hours left to go on my college degree. My English degree with a minor in Medieval History and Literature. Yes, I can talk for hours about Chaucer and how he influenced the English language to what it is today, or, why the Wife of Bath is my favorite pilgrim; then we can talk about pilgrimages, which may turn into a discussion about Margery Kemp and her internal spiritual pilgrimage, etc., etc. 

I am 27 and have finally started living my life. It does not include school. I hardly use any of the teachings I have learned thus far in college. My passion for travel, people and adventure is what fuels my life right now. This fuel has even made its' way into my work-life. My job is finally enjoyable again. I have pulled my love for people and my passion for inspiring others and weaved it into the time spent at my job. It have given my work meaning again. It has lowered my stress and made me happier when I am not at work. It has put a new perspective on my work-life. It has put a new perspective on my life. 

"The only way to do good work is to love what you do." - Steve Jobs

I live in Fort Worth, TX and we have a great art and music scene here. Many of my friends are artists or musicians. They are doing what they love but then they also have a job to pay the bills. Their passions may not yet pay the bills, but that does not mean my friends are not happy. They have something to go home from work to. You cannot tell who went to college and who did not; you don't need a college degree to express yourself or play in a band or be an artist of any kind. You do need to know how to play music, however, but that is a skill you can learn. There are so many options for gaining experience, knowledge and education that do not require a degree. 

What I want to do is tell people, of any age, that they do not have to go to college. You do not need a college degree to be happy. You need time to learn who you are and discover what makes you alive. By exposing yourself to what you might like to do and reading about the people who are successful in those fields is a great way to self-educate and self-motivate. It is also a great way to find out what you DON'T want to do, without spending money on a degree only to find that four years later, you've changed your mind. 

Modern western society has forgotten how to think before making a decision. We have gotten so used to immediate results, so we jump right into everything from college, jobs, relationships, etc. Then, once we wake up and realize "this is not my beautiful house; how did I get here?" we are discouraged at the poor choice we have made, without even knowing it was going to disappoint us down the road. We start over, jumping right back into something else...something else...and something else. 

Break the cycle. Change your mindset. Take time to THINK about who you are. Then, go from there and follow your dreams. Everything else will fall into place, into its' right place, and you will not even believe where your dreams will take you. 

<3

Creating Space.

The last couple of weeks, I have been on my own a lot. My boyfriend is on tour with his band, War Party, so I do not have him to hang out with, all the time, like I normally do when he is around. I've outgrown some habits, which means I've outgrown some friends. I guess you could say I'm somewhat in-between places right now, socially. I'm pretty good at being alone, considering I used to be a professional hermit (haha). 

I've been thinking a lot about creating space for myself. What I mean is, identify what is weighing me down or what might be having a negative or neutral influence on me and what I want to accomplish, and step away from it - for good or for a little while. This can be anything; friends, food, activities, etc. I have a friend who has been going through a breakup, and I'm encouraging her to create space for herself, which also encourages me to practice what I'm preaching. 

Not drinking for the last 3 months has been such a HUGE change for me and it's such a good one. It has created so much space in my life and in my bank account!  

Yoga has been an incredible life-changer for me. It has helped me de-stress my life and consider the little things as much as the big things.  

Doing things for the sake of doing them, and no other reason, has proved to be an elevating experience. So many people have to let the world know that they're amazing - people who have to prove that they're experienced are probably missing the point entirely. Humble yourself and just enjoy a nice day and the people with you. You know your intentions if you are honest with yourself. Remember to experience life for life, not for a neat Facebook post. I'm preaching to myself too - I am getting better at putting my phone down and LIVING. Make space for life. 

Taking a break from travel - what?! - has actually been nice. When I'm not traveling, I'm planning my next trip. I have been enjoying home and the people here these last couple of weeks, instead of planning my next trip. It's important to stop and enjoy what is always there but rarely noticed. 

Creating space for ourselves is so important. We grow into the people we will become by hanging out in the present moment and realizing how small we really are, and that we DO have space in our busy lives - for ourself. 

How do you create space in your life?