Yes! The title is incredibly cheesy but it’s true! The older I have gotten the more I find that all those cheesy things your parents say to you while growing up are actually true. I guess they say these types of things to us because they have made mistakes in their lives and hope to pass on a little advice to help us avoid making those same mistakes as well. Well, I didn’t really listen when I was younger but I should have.
As you all know, I have recently left a very stable and comfortable job to follow my own dreams. I got this job a few years ago straight after finishing my BA Honours in University. I was hell-bent on going to work and making money and I didn’t care what it was. My parents advised me against it and encouraged me to follow my dreams and to not waste time because life is too short. I was not having a bar of it though. They were supportive regardless and helped me look for jobs in calling centres, as receptionists, etc. I wanted to work hard, make lots of money and travel. I was fortunate enough to find a personal assistant job that gave me a lot of skills to take forward with me into the future. However, the job took over my entire life; I didn’t really get to travel as I wanted too and it had nothing to do with making films which is what I really want to do with my life. Leaving the job was a hard decision to make because it meant giving up a lifestyle that is comfortable with a regular income to stepping out into the unknown, becoming a student again and having very little money. However, I am very happy that I did it.
My sister was clever enough to learn from my mistakes. She knew the best thing to do as soon as she finished her degree was to do something that actually focused on and had something to do with what she wants to do with her life. She is now overseas working with Disney. All because she is following her dream. She has so many opportunities in front of her and she might even wind up working in China next year. It is just incredible! She is a real inspiration to me and when I saw what she was achieving just because she got out of her comfort zone and followed her dreams, it made me realise what I needed to do.
Thankfully I’m young enough that my few years working in the corporate world is not going to affect me all that much. But do not think that I look at my time in the corporate world as a regret or mistake. As I have said, I learnt so much from my previous job and I have met some amazing people. Inevitably it showed me what kind of lifestyle I could have if I continued in this kind of job. I realised that this was not the life I wanted. I am not a nine to five working gal that’s going to get married and have kids and never leave Wellington. That’s simply not me. But there is nothing wrong with that lifestyle at all. Most people want that lifestyle, I’m just saying that it’s not for me. I want more. I want to travel, I want a career, I want to meet more amazing people all over the world and ultimately, I want to make a difference before my time is up.
The best thing for me now is to go back to school; to learn the skills that will take me forward and progress towards the ultimate goal. I’m ok with that. I’m more than ok with that, I’m so excited to get started. I am so ready for the next adventure. So this is me, finally, plucking up the courage to follow my dream. So from me, a 24 year old girl who’s not a parent, please please please follow your dreams. It is not worth you wasting time on other things when you could be putting all your energy into something that would mean so much more to yourself. And even though you may think that your dream is stupid, please do not let that stop you from trying. No one in this world just thinks “yes, I have got this, achieving this dream will be easy”. Everyone at some point completely doubts themselves and thinks what they want is too hard to achieve. But that doesn’t have to stop you from trying. You only fail if you do not try. So do it. Follow your dreams. You never know what might happen.
Mean Productions 