“Checklist” of the youth – Who do you want to become when you grow up?

Do you still recall back in the good old days, the adults around you – your parents, your grandparents, your neighbours – always asked you the question “Who do you want to become when you grow up”?

And as a natural sense, with only a young, naive mind full of “experiences” gained from watching kid’s television shows and movies, and also from observing the spectacular life orbiting around us, perhaps we would have those following responses:

• I want to be a teacher/lawyer/doctor!
• I want to be an astronaut!
• I want to be the President!
• I want to be a hero who can save the world!
• I want….

At every stage in our life, we are likely to come up with different answers to this question. It could be because of a new cartoon that we have just watched, or because of a new “hero” we have just met and immediately fell in love, etc.

Our surrounding environment has impacted the way we chose to answer this question when we were a kid. But how about when we grew up? Do you still keep that dream and ambition with you? And do you think that this question only approaches you when you are still a young and naive child?

I don’t think so.

This very specific question can appear in front of our eyes at so many different occasions in life. Let’s now travel on our “vacation trip” back to the present – the very moment when you are preparing to graduate from your university and to confront your new life outside of your school, okay?

It is no surprise that the similar question is, once again, dangling above your head when you are preparing yourself for the new life after your graduation. However, the difference this time is that you need to take this question into account with more consideration, instead of just using your mere “imagination” like back then when you were three years old.

The question can come in a variety of forms, such as:

“What careers do you want to pursue after you graduate,” or,

“Who do you dream to become, and where do you want to devote yourself to after you graduate?”

For the others, the question is not just simply evolving around jobs and careers. It can even be elaborated further as follows:

• What is your major? What degree are you aiming for (bachelor/master/PhD)?
• Where are you currently working? Is this the “dream job” of yours? Do you have any plans to achieve higher in your field?
• Have you gotten any tattoos and/or travelled alone to a place that you want?
• Do you have any further plans for your future? Are you planning on getting married? When will you get married? How many kids will you have?

And so, so many more like that.

In short, there are heaps of “checklists” that people purposefully label onto the young adults, forcing them to do this or to do that thing. They think that youth means visiting as many places as you can, or getting your head down, working yourself off with your jobs.

But, I can guarantee that not that many people would come to you and ask you whether you are feeling happy or not, or whether there is anything you want to achieve while you are still young.

It Is human’s nature to come up with so many “checklists” and force ourselves to comply with them and tick every box as soon as possible. I understand that this can be very beneficial if being used in the right way. Nevertheless, I have also encountered just-graduated students who face with situations like listed below:

• They do not know the purpose of their life.
• They lack the motivation, passion and drive of the youth.
• They do not know where to go or what to do, and eventually become confused and aimless about their own future.

At this point, the questions about “jobs” or “careers” are no longer important. If you do not even understand who you are, it would be impossible for you to understand what you are doing. But as long as you get a sense of understanding of your own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, difficulties, the things you have and yet to have, then you will fully understand the path that you are walking on.

And just so you know, if you ever feel that you belong to at least one of the scenarios mentioned above (it can also be that you identify with all three), just remember that you are never alone.

I deeply sympathise and understand you, simply because I have also experienced the same thing in the past. Alone, just by myself, I also had to push through time when I was astray and doubting my own path. There were times that I felt overwhelmed by the passion that shone like beams of light from the sun, but there were also times that I felt as if my heart was frozen like a condensed winter sky.

Going past my youth, particularly the period of time between my 22-year-old and 30-year-old remarks, I have realised that at some point in our youth life, everyone has to at least once go through the deep, never-ending tunnel of loss and hopelessness. This is something that is inevitable for anyone, no matter what gender you are, whether you are a merit or average student, or whether you are a jolly or sentimental person. Everyone of us has to experience this in order to grow up and mature.

And did you know?

When we are young, money, love, or any quality relationship are not always the most important necessities to us. But the thing you need the most is just to be yourself. To be who you want to be, to do the things you want to do, to live true to your own identity – your gender, your personalities – within you.

When you are young, you have all the time in the world to figure out what you really want to do, but you also have the right to refuse to do certain things that do not make you feel happy or at ease.

So, my dear friend,

If today you are still struggling to recognise your own needs and wants, your youth’s “checklists” and how you want them to be labelled so that you can feel happy and at ease;

If you have not yet accepted the true gender identity within yourself and felt horrible about it;

If you are still endeavouring to find out the best directions you should turn your self-development towards;

And, if today you are still having your great thirst for a happier, more meaningful life filled with passion and missions,

Then please allow me – Truly Inspired – to open the door to your heart and listen to all your burdens and wishes. I am here to help you find your own “sun” from within your heart, and to help you once again realise that your life still has a meaning, a purpose, a balance and a happiness awaiting for you ahead.

Leave your information in the box below, and Truly Inspired will reach out to you as soon as we can so that we can get over things together!

With love,

Truly Inspired.