Most people who are reasonably intelligent have a fair number of options about how to live life. They have options about what jobs to pursue, what people to socialize with, and how to spend their free time. For some reason, though, we seem to start narrowing those options even before we get to kindergarten. I can't play with the girl across the street because she only likes dolls. I don't want to read that book because it is only about trucks. I don't want to have a Cookie Monster lunch box because that one kid said Cookie Monster was dumb. We keep narrowing, a little at a time, until we reach adulthood. Somehow we have even sold this a good thing, "I've found my niche!"
But is it?
I mean, it seems like a reasonable thing to have things we like and dislike, a stable job, blah, blah, blah. At what point do we give ourselves permission to look past all that and try something else? Low commitment items like trying something new on the restaurant menu are even met with surprise and some level of social pressure to return to your norm. "Wow! Taking a risk tonight, huh?" Because ordering fish and chips instead of a burger is a dangerous life decision? Scale it up, and we lose our minds. If our neighbor quit her job as a stockbroker to become a professor or a hair stylist we would freak out!
It seems obvious when I say it, but the things that used to bring me happiness may not be my favorites any more. I used to think sweet potatoes were devil-food, now I quite like them. The job I did right out of college isn't one that I would want now.
At what point do I give myself permission to walk away from the things that I have been doing and being and saying that I call living and reach out for the things that I think might let me thrive? How do I give myself permission to be wrong?
I bet you are hoping that I'm about to answer those questions in some witty way, and that would sure make a cool blog post, but I am the Introspective Bumbler for a reason. I really have no idea what those answers are.
But I'm going to keep trying to find out.
