Disclosure: I only recommend products/services I would use myself and feel might benefit you as well. This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
If you really stopped to think about it, how many people around you have inspired you? How many people are taking chances, playing full out, and chasing their dreams every single day. I bet it’d be more than you initially realize.
My godmother and I were messaging the other day about paving your own path of your dreams at any age, and we are both very passionate about it, so it inspired me to write this article, not only on this topic but to give real life examples of people in my life that have done this to serve as an inspiration for you when you may be feeling like everyone is just slogging through the highway of life.
Paving your own path can take shape in an infinite number of ways and can take place at any given time. I hope this super brief glance into some stories of inspiration can show you that and can inspire you to begin taking steps to your own unique path that you love.
Early decisions
But first, let’s dive into what I think one of the main drivers of this difficulty to pivot and make a change is. This process begins when we are in high school, and we already need to start thinking about what we want to do with our lives.
Very early on, we need to decide what type of university we want to enroll in or what type of trade school or whether we want to enter directly into the work force. We try any of those paths on for size for at least a few years and then decide that we love what we’re doing or we wish we could make a change.
At this point, we feel that we’ve invested loads of money, time, and energy into our path and are usually determined to find a way to make it work.
The idea is to develop a flexible mindset as you move through adulthood. As most of you know, I had a curvy path right after graduation before settling into a corporate finance job that utilized the degree in accounting that I’d earned. I then doubled down and earned a Master’s in Finance, which I used for a few more years before pivoting.
I felt uneasy about taking a path a few years later that didn’t directly apply my degrees at first, but my mom encouraged me that I had learned so much more during my time at college than just the classes I was in. The overall experience I gained, including that gained in my classes, was transferable to anything I wanted to do.
So my point here is not to abandon making decisions and getting in the game early on. In fact, quite the opposite. I am a major proponent of diving in. My point is that decades after the degree, certification, or experience has been earned, the right mindset needs to be utilized regarding the experience to not turn something positive into something that is resented.
Moving on to examples of incredible people in my life that have done this.
Chaos to clarity
Paving the path of your true calling and joy can take a variety of different forms. Unfortunately, sometimes the way that path begins to show itself is through tragedy or chaos.
One shining example of this is one of my childhood friends, Lauren (Moore) Shaffer. We played softball together growing up, and she eventually went on to be a standout player and coach at Loyola University, majoring in Education. After some twists and turns, she ended up at a more traditional 9-5 job right before the COVID-19 pandemic rocked everyone’s world. As the pandemic set in, she was laid off of a job she loved. Not wanting to have to answer to anyone again as a result of this unexpected turn of events, she decided she would start her own business. She trained herself in the art of photography and played full out getting into the photography game. Three years later she is now incredibly talented, is loving what she does, and is booked out several months in advance. By being creative and courageous about her path, she’s created a life that she loves day in and day out. For more information on her, check out her website and Instagram. (She also took the amazing headshot/lifestyle photos that I use on a regular basis).
Throughout my Mastermind program, I also met several other incredible women paving their own path less traveled. There are two in particular that stood out to me as shining examples of paving and owning the paths they are on after unexpected circumstances arose: Andrea Sealey and Tina Stoy.
Similar to Lauren, Andrea was unexpectedly laid off from her position. Wondering what to do next, she contemplated starting her own business. However, starting your own business can be incredibly scary and daunting. For a bit, she relied on her fallback and safe path while also looking to start her own business (as most of us do). As we moved through the Mastermind program, I watched her play full out to totally own the path that she was destined to be on by speaking and consulting on positive leadership. She has been making such an impact and is an inspiration to so many. For more details on her story, check out her LinkedIn post outlining her journey.
Tina’s story to her current path is one filled with heartbreak and tragedy. After months of soul searching after this tragedy, Tina became captivated by leatherworking. She was so passionate about and talented in this field that she’s started her business Akasha Leather out of it, making a variety of goods from wallets to backpacks to dog collars and more. Having also been a customer of Tina’s, I can attest that the love and passion that she has in her work shows through in her product and makes any purchaser feel truly unique, empowered, and confident. For more details on her story, check out her Instagram post and website.
A slow burn
Paving your own path doesn’t always require a life altering event. We are not prisoners to our own path if life is carrying on in a neutral fashion. We can make a decision to start taking steps each day towards the path of our dreams.
My godmother, Julie Adriansen, is an example of this. While she’s taken on a variety of different jobs in her lifetime, she is most passionate about art. Several years ago, she decided to open a coffee shop where she could sell her art and teach classes. This was a well-diversified business venture that allowed her to make money off of and showcase what she loved. A few years later, she made the decision to move out west. Over the past several years that she has been there, she’s built up a thriving art and wedding officiant business among other areas of work that she also takes on. While it took a few decades to discover her path, she is thriving now and loving the passions that she gets to see through on a daily basis. For more information on her, check out her website and Instagram.
Lastly, I’ll humbly throw myself into this mix although I’m working my way to the level of these incredible women. As my regular blog followers will know, I’ve taken a curvy path since college. While much of that time has been spent in a more traditional corporate job, I’ve made the decision within the past year and a half to take a less traditional path and build a business in transformational life coaching and writing so that I can more fully realize my values of joy, freedom, and strength while having a much better perspective on my priorities. While I am less established at this time than the incredible ladies I’ve mentioned above, I am determined to keep carving the path less traveled as I build a life that I love more and more each day.
A decision to carve the path less traveled
No matter the circumstances, it is always a conscious decision to carve out your path less traveled.
When change comes about due to chaos or tragedy, a decision is still made to not be victim to the circumstance as well as to make a courageous step forward into what you believe your calling may be and experimenting with what that would look like.
When change comes about less dramatically and more systematically, it is a decision to remove yourself from your current situation and begin chipping away at the path that you believe may be your calling.
In both these cases, action leads to clarity which leads to more action and eventually the momentum begins to feel more effortless.
I am blessed to be surrounded by so many people that are strong and courageous in my life that have either made the leap to a totally new path or have encouraged me and illuminated my new path for me. I hope that by briefly sharing this variety of stories that you are inspired to take whatever action has been nagging at you in your life.
If you’re interested in your own transformational journey and accelerating this process, reach out to me using the button below to book your free discovery session to see if I can support you along your journey to unlock the full potential of joy, freedom, and strength within your life.
Disclosure: I only recommend products/services I would use myself and feel might benefit you as well. This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Disclaimer: This blog should not be construed as providing, or intending to provide, professional financial, legal, psychological, or other professional advice. It is simply meant to share my experiences for those that may find them relatable and helpful.