Whether you went to school or not, often times you get to a point of not knowing exactly what you're going to do with your life. I am here to tell you it is OKAY to not know. Being in your late teens and early/mid 20's it can feel like the world and everyone around you is suffocating pertaining to what the next step is or how to plan for the future.
Although having a step-by-step guide on the next phase of your life would be ideal, it doesn't always end up that way. I myself have experienced ( and continue to ) being incredibly overwhelmed and freaked out over not knowing what my next step is. I, along with a majority of other people struggle to think in the now but instead are constantly thinking for the future and 'big picture'. Trying to plan for the future and figure things out is not considered a bad thing, but if you're letting it run your every day life it's doing more harm than good.
As dumb as it sounds, I really never realized how important it is to just take one thing at a time. It seems completely obvious that the progress you make daily (or attempt, some days are just completely non-productive no matter what you do...) determines the next step you take to creating a positive future, but to actually get into that mind set can be seemingly impossible. It can be especially hard when you're not only hard on yourself internally panicking on how you're going to start 'adult-ing', but everyone around you may be looking for answers and truth is, you just don't have one.
With that said, tons of people are feeling the same way, and you know what? ITS OKAY. It's that simple. It's okay that you didn't go to college right out of high school. It's okay if you went to school for a certification or associates degree. It's okay if you got your Bachelors and you're still afraid of getting a 'real' job.
It's okay if you took/take time off to travel and/or find yourself. It's okay if you realize what you went to school for isn't what you want to do as a career. Its okay to get a job out of school that has nothing to do with your degree. I could go on, and on about all of the things you did or didn't do, but most importantly as long as what you think what you're doing is benefiting YOU, that's all that matters. Coming from someone who has been told they're a 'people pleaser' more times than I can count, BE SELFISH! By selfish I mean from now, regardless what anyone is telling you ( if its negative) you need to look out for yourself. If you know what you're doing is what is making you happy, or what you think is going to help you pursue a successful life/career, do it.
I don't mean disregard any advice from people, especially if they truly have good advice or genuinely want to help, but if you're in the position where you truly just don't know whats next, say just that. Usually when asked about things, for example the dreaded " so what are you going to do once you're out of school?" replying " I don't know, ect..." is viewed as irresponsible or careless.
When I say I don't know, it doesn't mean i'm not trying to figure it out, I am, but in the mean time I'm just trying to get myself through what I am doing now. Everything you're doing now is what is going to determine the future, theres no way to try to plan it. For those who have their life together (or seem like it or claim to) straight out of school, that's awesome and good for you, honestly! For those who just don't know whats next that's 100% completely fine.
Some people might think that what I'm saying is absurd. I don't mean fly by the seat of your pants and don't try to plan anything, what I am saying is that you might have some ideas in mind, but no solid path set-in-stone and that's completely FINE. As long as you have goals, you'll get there eventually I promise, everything comes with hard work, time and patience. So to be completely honest, I don't know what I'm going to do with my life yet, and that's okay.
