When you were growing up, you probably got school assignments that asked you to write about your dream job, your dream home, or your dream life. Adults told you that you could have anything you wanted. But how could you possibly know what you want out of life at 5 years old? At 12 years old? At 18 years old?
I don’t think that you can.
You might have dreamed of a life that seemed like everything you could ever want, but as you grew up, that dream started to feel more distant. You may have started to feel like chasing that old dream isn’t the path you should be on. But people told you to keep believing in your potential to excel at this dream, even though it started to feel more like a nightmare. They told you that one day, all of your hard work would be worth your time because you’d be successful.
So you kept working hard. You studied for hours and earned good grades because others told you to. You pursued what you thought that you loved, and you refused to give up on it, even when you noticed that you constantly doubted yourself. And you repeatedly told yourself that the pain and struggle you faced would be worth your time. In just a few more years, you’d be successful.
You get a job that almost matches your dream job. It sets you up to do exactly what you always dreamt of doing. You cherish this job, and you give everything you have to succeed in it. Your job becomes your identity. But after you lose yourself in your job, you lose that job.
You aren’t sure who you are anymore.
You try to pretend like everything is normal and that you can bounce back. Your social media shows the world that you clearly still love what you do. But all the while, you feel a gnawing in your gut, telling you that this career’s no longer what you want. And if you let go of this path, you could lose everything.
But what if losing everything that you know is exactly what you need?
If you stay exactly where you are, you might stay safe and grounded. But will you be happy, or will you feel like you’re just going through the motions?
Nothing stays the same forever — no matter how much you wish for it to. Sometimes what you want most in life isn’t actually best for you, and no amount of effort will make it become the right path. You need to release what isn’t for you. Change is inevitable, and changing your path is nothing to be ashamed of.
The way you choose to change your life is no one else’s business. Maybe in someone else’s eyes, you have a dream career, but if you hate your life every day, then what’s the point? Maybe you used to be passionate about your career, but now, your passion has shifted elsewhere. You may want something different out of life, but you aren’t even sure what that “something” is yet.
And that’s OK.
Social media puts so much pressure on you to be “successful” that it’s nearly impossible not to feel like a failure when your career doesn’t meet those expectations. But you’re not a failure for letting go of what didn’t work out for you. You’re brave enough to admit to yourself and to the world that you gave your work your all, and you don’t love it.
Letting go is courageous. Letting go is mature. And letting go is a sign that you know how to put your needs first. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Remember that if you don’t let go of what no longer serves you, then you can’t move forward.
