Celebrating 21 Years of Life

On my various life milestones, I typically do a post looking back at my life. I asked on Facebook what you’d like me to write about, and many people replied, THE FUTURE!

Part of me doesn’t like to talk about the future. I like to keep my options open and it is always disappointing if something exciting doesn’t pan out quite like how I imagined. But, I’ve learned to kind of get over this. The good or the bad, that’s part of life and sometimes disappointments happen.

So…What are you doing with your life currently?

In December of last year, I finished my undergraduate degree. Up until this point, I had always ran my business and done school at the same time, so to make up for the 20 or so hours I was doing school, I decided to get a part-time job at the children’s department of our local library. I love getting able to recommend books to patrons, and several times I’ve had happy parents come back and tell me their kiddos LOVED the books I picked out. I also get to see which books are new which helps give me inspiration for future projects.

But I’m kind of in a creative rut.

What do you want to do with your life? 2.0

Growing up, I imagined my life a bit like this:

1. Graduate high school
2. Survive Graduate college
3. Get married
4. Get a job, growing a side business to work from home
5. Have kids and run my business from home
6. Retire at 40
7. Travel around the world

Reality turned out a bit differently. I finished high school and college, but am single, turned my side gigs into my job fair quickly, and don’t want kids for a while. 🙂

My work is almost solely online, with the exception of some rare conventions and shipping out products. From graphic designing to creating digital products, I can technically work from anywhere. And for the most part, I’ve chosen my little apartment. (Hey, it’s got a ton of food and it’s comfy.)

I’ve been reading into the lives of digital nomads, online creators who travel to different parts of the world for extended periods of time…because they can. Many of them literally live with all of their possessions in a backpack + suitcase. I don’t know if I could live completely like that (I think my beauty and make-up products would take up a single backpack by themselves.) but I love the freedom it offers to travel more. It’s something I’ve always wanted to – so why wait until I’m 40? This world is so big, so wide, so incredible. There’s so much to see, do, and experience!

Where to next?

Honestly, I don’t know. I’m currently taking some graduate classes and plan on competing in the Miss America Organization for at least another year.

I’ve realized I more or less keep my future plans private. If my dreams or plans don’t happen as I’d like, it can be embarrassing. No one likes admitting they failed. On the flip side, I’ve noticed when I set concrete goals, I work hard to achieve them and oftentimes do. In a way, my dreams can ironically limit my potential since I can become so laser-focused on something. Five years ago, I never dreamed I’d be where I am today, so I try not to limit the future.

Here’s some of the things I’d love to accomplish in the next 21 years!

1. Visit Paris

2. Fly in a private plane

3. Own a home

4. Swim in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland (two of my friends have been there!)

5. Visit all 50 states

6. Go to Disney World

7. Tour Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark

8. Become fluent in another language

9. Learn how to shoot a gun

10. Adopt a child

11. Learn how to put contacts in (This is probably the hardest thing on my list haha)

12. Visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

13. Perfect one updo hairstyle

14. Tour the White House

15. Visit the Statue of Liberty

16. Learn krav maga

17. Visit Tokyo

18. Snorkel in Australia

19. Meet a famous actor/actress

20. Attend a Notre Dame football game

21. Tour Israel (again!)