Growing Up Isn’t Easy, Just Roll With It. My Story #INsider

So I just turned 30, like last night, and when I was given this month’s topic theme it immediately hit home. For me turning 30 felt bizarre. I think even I had certain expectations of what it would feel like to be a grown up, but in reality I’m still growing up!

It’s human nature to worry about your future. Yet, it’s the years that have gone by that have shaped who I am today, which is why it’s also important to live in the moment. One thing I learned in my 20s is that being passionate, motivated and hungry to achieve more and  to do better keeps life interesting. This isn’t going to be like the movie ‘The Secret’ though. I’m not going to tell you how to stop worrying about your future, but I will tell you that being grown up is just a facade – you never stop growing up.

As with the evolution of any person I can categorize my life into phases and my current phase consists of becoming a successful full time blogger – a transition that really only happened recently. I always thought I knew what I ‘wanted to be when I grow up’, but the truth is it’s okay to change your mind. I originally started off university in commerce at Sydney University in Australia and quickly realized this career path didn’t satisfy me creatively. Although I worried about what my parents would think, I also knew I felt really unhappy with my current situation. Life is too short and too important to waste it doing something you don’t enjoy, so I switched to something a little more artistic.

I am a great sewer and pattern maker – you may not know this about me, but I had my own clothing line at one point. I loved designing and it was the perfect creative outlet – the only problem was that it didn’t pay well. Running a fashion business is hard, being ‘the creative’ and running the business is even harder. I learned a lot about myself from this experience early on in life, including the need to have some financial stability and that it’s okay to change your mind and pursue a different path. So I did, again.

I love fashion and I love being creative. I’m also really good at math (which is why I picked commerce in the first place). Writing, on the other hand, was never my strong suit, so I ended up became a buyer. Transitioning from fashion designer/business owner, to a buyer wasn’t that large of a leap, but man was it nice to be on the other side of that fence. I had a seven figure budget and I got to shop everyday! I would build trend reports, analyze company sales, measure and rotate my inventory. Analytically it was fulfilling and I was making a nice salary, but all the Chanel purses, Burberry coats, and Hermes belts couldn’t fill that growing creative void within me. Can you guess what I did?

I QUIT! My Burberry boots were made for walking and that is just what they did. Don’t get me wrong though, I’m not telling you to quit your job. We all are ‘adulting’ the best we can and it’s okay to want to change your path, but be responsible about it. Prior to quitting, I made sure I had saved up a nice little nest egg and I had a plan. This was an obvious ‘growing up’ call and was definitely helpful in my successful transition into a full time blogger.

For a while there it seemed like changing my mind was the only thing I was consistent at. I never thought that I would become a blogger, as a matter of fact I never even liked writing (if my English teacher could see me now). Each job I have had and the experiences that came along with them have given me a set of tools that I believe has contributed to my current success. The best part about it is that I finally feel settled into a life that fully fulfills me. I feel challenged, I feel inspired and I feel motivated and if this is what it feels like to be 30 then BRING IT ON. I guess what I’m trying to tell you is that it’s okay to not know what you want to do when you grow up. You don’t need to have all the answers. Life can be rewritten so just roll with it.

Have a burning question you want to ask me? You can contact me -> HERE