WHO ARE YOU GOING TO BE?

This week I want to talk about the future as I find it the scariest thing to talk or even think about. There’s so much pressure on teenagers and even children to have a plan on what they’re going to and where they’re going with their lives. But what do you do if you don’t have a plan? How do you know what career you want when you’re only 17 when you’re still figuring out who you are and what you want from life now, let alone what you might want in 10 years. Some people are lucky enough to have a dream and are determined to see it through whether it's to be a doctor, a scientist, an actor, a singer, the prime minister or just happy with a family of their own, but even if you have a goal how do you get there? You won't be the only one with that dream or the only one who's good enough to get it. So what makes you stand out from the rest? Whether you have a goal or not don't despair their are pro's and cons to both but the most important thing to remember is to go with whatever's right for you. It's your life and you're only going to have one shot at it. 

Scenario 1

So you're 17 and you have to decide if you want to go to university or not and what you want to study, but you have no idea what you want to do with your life yet so therefore you don't know what course you might be interested in doing or even if you want to go to university and it's not like you have ample time to decide! Universities are having open days and every adult you know keeps on pounding you with that same question; 

"So what do you want to do with your life?" 

The answer?  

"I have no idea! I haven't figured it out yet!"

But the pressures still on so you end up rushing into the decision and a few years down the line you have a degree you don't want, thousands of pounds in debt for no reason because you didn't want that degree in the first place and then stuck in a job that...guess what...YOU DON'T WANT! So just take a moment to step back. You don't know what you want to do yet, so you don't about university yet and I'm guessing that you don't want to be thousands of pounds deep in debt for no reason. So take a step back and take a year out to decide what you want to do! You could go travelling, climb Mount Everest, volunteer in the depths of Africa to look after lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) or just stay at home, find a job to do that'll earn you a bit of money to put towards that university fund and take the time you need to "find your calling" (yep I went there) and you never know, you may decide in that year that university isn't for you, at least you took the time you took the time to figure it out in your own time instead of rushing into something that you didn't really want to do. 

Scenario 2

If you do have a dream, no matter what it is, I am telling you from the bottom of my heart to pursue it with everything that you have because you only have one chance at achieving your dreams so never give up on them and never think that it'll never happen because if you work hard enough for it, then you can do anything you want. It doesn't matter if you're parents aren't completley supportive and they try to push you down a more "realistic" or "safer" route, don't blindly follow it, make your own path! (how cliche) 

So my message this week is to do whatever is right for you. Don't copy anybody else, listen to the advice you're given but that doesn't mean you have to agree with it or follow it. It's your life, you live it! (...aaaaaannnnnd everyone threw up at the cheesiness) :D 

Thanks xxxxx