REFLECTING ON LIFE: ALMOST 10 MONTHS POST-GRADUATION UPDATE
It's surreal to think that nearly a year has passed since I walked across the stage, and accepted my diploma. At that point, I had a very different idea of where I'd be at this time in my life. But as I sit down to reflect on the past 10 months, I'm filled with gratitude and pride for the journey I've been on thus far.
Let me share with you a glimpse of pre graduation Shelby’s supposed immediate plans. Or possible ideas, at least:
Become a personal assistant at a construction or possibly Real Estate company, making “BIG” money…
Get a job at another university’s Campus Recreation department
Move to Charleston, SC to work for an HR company
Potentially make a long distance relationship work
Move into my own REALLY NICE apartment in Florida
Eat super healthy
Travel the world
Be in the best shape
Live my best life.
“Live my best life” what does that even mean? That if I magically couldn’t make all of these options work then I’d be living my worst life? Well, pregrad Shelby… I’d like to formally inform you that almost every single one of those in fact did not happen. But I can promise you that you are living your life. It sure as hell has not been sunshine and rainbows (mostly because you live in the Midwest where the weather seems to be constantly PMSing), but you are doing just fine. In fact, you are doing more than just fine.
Now let's take a little peak at what the past 10 months have really looked like.
Grandma passes away the day after I move back home to Illinois
Oh ya, I should mention I moved back home with the ‘rents
Missing friends
Heartbreak
Girls trip to Nashville to visit my sister, yeehaw!
A really tough, yet fulfilling last season managing my family’s Ice Cream Shop
I might not have traveled the entire world (not yet at least), but I spent a month in England, meeting new people and getting to see new places (Paris and Prague, in particular).
Got my first post grad job
Bought my own car (proud adulting moment)
Got to spend copious amounts of time with family, and be around for the birth of my cousin's first child (8 whole months of baby snuggles, but I have gotten away with not having to change a single diaper. I think I’ll continue to hold off on that form of adulting for now.
Completed a 6 month long Life and Health Coaching Certification, launching my own business with already 2 clients:))
First trip back to Fort Myers since graduation
Started a 500+ hour Pilates Instructor Certification (oh ya, I have learned I really like Pilates).
And most importantly, a standing coffee date each morning in the family room with the ‘rents.
Sooooo, clearly a bit different, but as I read that second list back I can’t help but smile. While I’m sure anything on that first list could have been possible to an extent, I am happy with the current path I am on. The path might twist and turn a thousand different ways, winding into a maze, but it’s my very own maze:)
The past 10 months have allowed me/forced me, (let's be honest), to spend time alone to really assess different aspects of my life: my friendships, relationships, goals, accomplishments, and struggles. I’ve had to determine where to draw boundaries, identify what drains my energy, and pinpoint what replenishes it. Of course this is a work in progress but I can tell that each day I am learning more about myself and ways I can be self-ish and put myself first.
As I look towards the future, I'm filled with excitement and anticipation for what might be next. While the path may not always be clear, I'm confident that by staying true to myself, investing in personal growth, and staying curious, I'll continue to carve out a fulfilling and purposeful life journey.
So here's to embracing the unexpected twists and turns, celebrating milestones big AND small, and embracing the beauty of the journey. As I approach the one-year mark post-graduation, I'm reminded that this thing we call life is a constant evolution, and I'm grateful for every moment along the way.
To whoever is reading this, I hope you are able to see that it is okay to not have things figured out. What’s the fun in that? It’s okay to move back in with your parents. When will you ever get to live with them again? And it sure as hell is okay to not know what you want to be when you grow up, because let’s be honest we all still feel 16 at heart. Go on that trip, take the job (or quit it), go on the date, do something crazy. What’s the best that could happen?
Try to give yourself a break. Life isn’t a race or a competition. It’s a scenic drive along the coast, through the mountains, and probably through a few potholes, but that's what your spare tire is for. Keep on keeping on. You are doing more than just fine :)
