This is post is going to seem quite contrary to a number of posts between the first of this series and this one, but I need to ask you all to remember that this next step is not exactly the easiest to do and something that I try to remind myself of often.  It's difficult to remember sometimes and easier to default to what is expected of you from everyone else, but it's well worth trying.

So, you've established the fact that your life, as well as everyone else's around you, has no meaning.  It sounds depressing, but believe me, it's not and you're going to see why.

You see, although it sounds bleak, it's actually an open door which allows you to stop caring about what everyone thinks and expects of you because what they want for you may often be extremely different from what YOU want for yourself.  Think about it: our lives are finite.  If we lived forever, we would NEVER do what we always wanted to do.  The reason for that is because we would have all the time in the world to do these things and continually put it off.  But by having a definite end point by which we can no longer do or experience the things we want to, we have a natural due date to work with. 

So, we should stop doing or studying what makes us miserable because it's not stimulating any interest.  Do what you want to do, study what you want to study, and work towards something you want.  If you want to become a veterinarian, go study the sciences in high school, go into post secondary and work your butt off for that degree, and get into vet school.  If it's hard, keep trying.  Keep working.

Now, this next bit might sound a bit defeatist, but you have to stay realistic and remember that everyone has their limits too.  Not everyone can do absolutely anything they put their minds to because their minds may not be made to work that way.  I try to understand math, but no matter how much I tried, I only barely passed my Advanced Functions course in high school.  You can still do what you want to a degree, but even with all this freedom with which you now find yourself, you do have to remember to keep it real and don't lose sight of your morals and abilities along the way.

Next up: Dealing With Your Existential Angst

Until then,
Dusk

Hey guys,

Things have been a little tough lately.  Not much has changed since my last update, but honestly, the job search hasn't been promising and it doesn't help that what I want to do involves working from home; something that my parents aren't 100% approving of.  I'd like to earn money by writing and having hours of my own rather than being a cashier, clerk, or anything that involves people's food, but my parents don't seem to think that's a good idea because they're worried it won't get much money.  The thing is, I'm not looking for a lot of money.  I'm just looking for enough to live.  Enough to move out.  The problem with this is that writing would involve more time working with less immediate pay than other jobs might.

It's tough, but for now, I just wish my parents would be more supportive of it.  My mom sees it as more of a side project, which I understand, but I really wish she would let me give it a chance.  Both of my parents only see two prospects with the credentials I have from school: writing and teaching.  I never want to teach.  I hate being in front of people and I don't feel like I can teach.  I have no desire to go into school to learn to teach people young or old, yet my parents will not let go of this idea.  They are always pushing me to teach because I like being with kids, but there is so much more to teaching than that.  I would also have to deal with creating, giving, explaining, and grading assignments as well as the parents.  I know some parents can be great, but I also know that there are frighteningly impossible parents to get through.

Writing, on the other hand, is something I've always enjoyed and used as a coping method.  It'd be nice to be able to make a living on something I love to do.  I know it will involve a lot of work, but I have been told that people in the arts often have to work harder at the beginning and have more money in the long run than people in, say, the trades.  I realise that I have no statistical sources to back this up, but I have been told this by a professor I've had.  Plus, just the fact that I could live comfortably by doing something I enjoy is promising enough for me.  On top of that, I'd like to be able to make some money by maybe selling soaps online and maybe eventually branching out to other products.  But, again, only viewed as a side project. 

Things are hard right now, but I am looking for some freelance writing jobs and I am trying to write something at the moment that I've planned out for a while now.  I hope it comes out well.  I'll definitely keep you all posted on that.

Anyway, I hope things are better for you lot.

Until next time,
Dusk