Life. Full of phases. Shaped by the way we live. First, there’s our parents’ house. Here, you grow up with your biggest support system.. your safety net. And need I say your biggest set of critics.
Your formative years – you learn certain mannerisms and a family dynamic that you take to the outside world and make yourself vulnerable to judgement. It often feels like a pass or fail. Do they like me or not? And we’re taught to never ask this question because it represents a degree of uncertainty and insecurity about yourself. This is the truth. Remind yourself that we were all born a unique way which others will appreciate down the line. That is, if you let them.
High school is tough – full of hormonal, undeveloped mindsets who place way too much emphasis on things that don’t matter, especially in the long run (ex. looks, status, exclusivity, etc.). And with the special select few who are better than this either succumb to this and become followers OR choose not to and be considered outsiders and become leaders later on.
Then comes one of the best times of your life – your two/four-year university life. Here, you learn more about the real world as you’re surrounded by thousands of students who are after the same thing you’re after – success. Especially since you don’t have parents or an older sibling(s) to guide you. If you’re hungry for independence and don’t want the guidance from your parents and perhaps an older sibling(s), you’ll figure out things on your own and navigate through life in your own distinct way. For instance, learning how to juggle studying for an upcoming midterm AND wanting to go to some nightclub at the same time. Or securing a job upon graduation. Even more, figuring out next steps post graduation (i.e. what will your new living situation be?). As you enter a new phase, you will learn how to manage time [better]. Remember this will only happen if you keep moving forward and don’t take steps back in life (ex. Moving back in with your parents. Parents generally want their children to grow and become successful anyway).
This brings me to the next phase in life you’ll enter where the world is your oyster. You have the new mindset, a good bit of real world experience, and a degree all under your belt. With all of this, you get to make some important decisions which will shape your life in years, perhaps decades to come. What job you’ll land, your income level, your living situation, the city you’ll be living in, the people you surround yourself with, etc. All of this ties in to the prime of your life. In a previous post, I mentioned that it is important to live in a big city post graduation because that is where you will thrive. You’ll continuously grow and make some important relationships, both personal and professional, that you will carry on throughout your life.
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