Future plans

[SueZ 24]

I'm a highschooler and I really don't know what I'm doing with the rest of my life. How did you guys decide what you wanted to do after high school?

 

[feathermaid]

Well, my parents didn't have money for my college, so when I graduated I planned to work for a couple years, hopefully decide during that time which direction to go, apply for a student loan and go to school for "that." But that didn't happen.

I didn't want to start working in fast food or anything like it... I was always good at drawing and had done many art projects for my school over the years, so I wrote a creative resume and applied at several flower shops and garden centers because I thought it would be fun. One manager decided to give me a chance, and that job led to another and another, with a bit more pay each time, but not enough.

I thought I could make more money with at least a trade school education so I entered a travel program, earned a certificate and became a travel agent, which I hated, and ended back in the floral/garden industry for another 15 years, advancing to quite a good management position for a large retailer. It may not have been prestigious, but it allowed me to achieve my dream of owning my own horses and living freely.

I discovered the job was merely secondary to what was actually happening in my "real" life, the part that matters. Your career doesn't have to define who you are. I think some people put too much focus on their career and college, and then spend the rest of their life paying student debt or stuck in a job that's not a good fit. Or get involved in a relationship and lose themselves (which almost happened to me a few times). Or try to look cool for their friends and charge themselves into bankruptcy. But I made sure to never live beyond my means, spent and charged wisely, building a very high credit score, which can also be be a powerful tool in getting what you want. I didn't get married until my mid 30s and had my first/only child at 40, and I don't regret a minute of the valuable life experience and freedom I had being completely independent.

My husband has the college degrees (and student loans) but he's also very diligent with finances and we work together as a team to make decisions. I think it's really important to know yourself... I mean really know yourself and what you want out of life, before you commit to a life partner. If you stay true to yourself, a path will become apparent.

Shortly after getting married, I had the opportunity to finally go to college for graphic design, and I attended full-time for a few years, but eventually made a tough decision to quit early to stay at home with my young toddler instead. Life has a funny way of telling you what you need to do when you just listen to your heart. So in reality, I'm still trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. But I'm pretty pleased with how it's going so far!

So what is it that makes you happy?