You have time. You have time to choose a major and then change it. And then change it again. You have time to take a year off to figure it out (or just because you want to.) You have time to explore, you have time to take it slow, you have time. You have time to find yourself, and then reinvent yourself. You have time to find your people. You have time to discover new hobbies and new parts of yourself that you didn’t know existed. You have time to chase those dreams, to start that business, to write that book. You have time to experiment. You have time to do that passion project. You have time to take that trip, explore those places, find the city of your dreams. You have time to do all the things you want to do in life, and it’s time you stop listening to the people who tell you to rush through your one and only, beautiful life.
From the time we enter middle school we are bombarded by our parents, teachers, and school counselors telling us to figure out our life plan, and quick! We are sent the message that we have no time to explore our identities, interests, or plans. But the reality is: it is YOUR life, and you choose how you spend your time. You are a complex, ever-changing being, and you have every right not to know what you want. It is well worth taking time to figure out the kind of life that truly feels right to you, rather than rushing into a path that isn’t yours.
I often lay awake at night, my mind flooded with the innumerable things I want to do in my life. I always feel so defeated at these moments, because there is a voice telling me that I don’t have time to do it all. That voice comes from a society obsessed with productivity and growth, but it is not who I am. I’ve recently been actively pushing that voice away and taking steps to get closer to what I want. I’ve been committed to tuning into what I truly want from life and not what the people around me tell me I should want. I have been writing down as many desires that come to my mind, no matter how outlandish or strange they seem. The simple act of transferring the deep desires of my heart from my mind to a tangible piece of paper has been so powerful. No matter who tells me that I do not have the capability or time, I know that I am the only person who gets to decide that.
You have the power to create the life you want, and you cannot let anyone stifle your wild, incredible dreams. Your purpose is worth taking time to find and no matter what anyone says, you have time.
