You’re almost done with high school, what’s next? You decided which college, what’s your major going to be? Taking a gap year, what’s your plan? You graduated college, now what?

These are just a handful of my personal favorite lines asked by family, friends, strangers, and myself. High school is a pretty easy gig until it comes to an end and you have to decide what comes next. Once you figure that out it becomes a never ending cycle. You pick a college, then a major, then a career path and pray you can lock down a job that fits in your plan. You take a gap year, find a job, then a college, then a major, then a career path and pray you like the job you chose for your plan. You decide school isn’t for you, find a job, and then probably find another job paying more, and maybe another job that gives you opportunities for growth and success. Who knows, maybe you decide you want to join the army. Maybe you decide to travel abroad, or go on mission trips, or just do something other than what everyone is telling you.

Society has set a standard for our generation. It’s expected that we go to school, get a degree, lock down a job before graduation, move out and start our careers. Honeyy listenn, it’s okay to not fit that standard. You are a unique individual who can do whatever the hell you want. Set your own damn standards. Not everyone is made for school. Not everyone is going to find a job right after school. Not everyone has a fricken plan. If you do have a plan it will most likely change. What people don’t seem to understand is that not everyone is going to have the same plan because not everyone lives the same life. You could have a plan set but something happens unexpectedly that makes you change course. What if you hate the job you thought you were made for? What if you find something you love and are passionate about, but it doesn’t pay as much as that accounting job? What if you’ve been working at a company for years but you just aren’t happy anymore? You’re supposed to take the logical step and do what is best for your future. Most people will tell you to take the better paying job, stick with the company, and insert their own opinions into your life and your plan. But guess what, those people are not living your life with you. It’s your decision, not theirs.

Everyone makes it seem like life is a piece of cake. They fill your head with the idea that if you get a degree you’re set. Well, they lie. You can have the degree and still get beat out by people with more experience than you, or by people who went to a more prestigious school than you, or by people simply more enticing than you. If you don’t get a degree you’ll have the experience they want, but then they want you to have the degree along with it. Lemme tell ya, it sucks. It’s hard to figure out the next steps. I personally think the worst part is when you think you’ve started to figure it out. You make power moves, you feel good, you even start to get excited about what the future has in store for you, and then you rejected. Every denial will knock you down a little harder than the last and it can be very discouraging. Oh, and be ready for everyone to tell you that “it wasn’t meant to be,” or “it just means something better is out there for you”. I’m not saying these people are wrong, but hearing that doesn’t necessarily make me feel better about the situation nor does it pay my bills. Rejection is painful and it is incredibly hard to pick yourself back up. However, the most important part is to not let it keep you down. Use it as an experience for the next one. Take notes on what you did well and what you could improve on. In the long run, these denials truly are preparing you for something better. Be patient with yourself and with the process.

In the moment it may feel like everything is going wrong, especially when your friends are all getting jobs and achieving “adult” things before you. As we mentioned above, everyone moves at their own speed, and you sure as hell don’t need to compare yours to anyone else’s. How do you get past this though? I am no expert. I am still figuring out my life one step at a time, but here are a few things that have helped with the stress of trying to get my life together.

1. Set goals: take the time to sit down and set some goals for yourself. This could be anything from you trying to eat healthier, to setting a goal for yourself to move out and get your own place.
2. Gym time: take the time to get a little workout in. It doesn’t have to be a full on power lifting session every time you go to the gym. Just take the time to ‘get a lil sweaty’ (my fav), trust me, it will feel so good in the long run.
3. Self care: you absolutely deserve some self time. Spending time with yourself, taking a nice bath or hot shower, cooking dinner, and just hanging out on the couch watching your fav shows is AMAZING. There are so many little things you can do for yourself, and everyone has their own routines, but setting aside time for yourself can do wonders. If you are ever looking for suggestions feel free to contact us and we can help you out!
4. Treat yo-self: this can also be good, in moderation. This kind of goes with setting goals, but my suggestion is to save and possibly reward yourself with something that you have wanted for a while. Waiting to get something you want and treating yourself when you deserve it makes you feel so good. You reached whatever goal you set for yourself and this was something small to keep you going. Be careful though, you don’t want to go spending your money all in one place! This is just from time to time to remind yourself that you are doing a great job, so keep it up!
5. Try new things: have you wanted to get up and do something you’ve never tried before? Do it now. You have so much time. So try that new restaurant, go on that small road trip, break out of your comfort zone; you never know who you are going to meet while experiencing new things, and who knows, maybe this person is going to be the one who can help you get your career going.

What is most important to remember is that everyone has their own dreams, goals, and motivations. Unfortunately, there is no answer for what comes next. The best advice I can give is to move at your own speed and take the world on one day at a time. There will be times where it is going to suck, but keep moving forward. As time passes it will begin to suck less and less until one day you open your eyes and find yourself exactly where you want to be.

I spend an insane amount of time wondering if I’m doing it right. At some point I just remind myself that I’m doing my best. That is enough.

@hopedealerslive