It’s okay if you don’t know what you want to do with your life yet. Whether you're in middle school or middle-aged, it's never too late to try something new and start again. Most people are still figuring it out. So don’t worry, not knowing is okay.
Here’s an excerpt from my debut book, It’s the Depression for Me: 3 Ways to Make Being a Teenager Suck Less, that will help you worry less about finding your passions so quickly!
"Do you ever feel like you need to have everything figured out right now? There’s pressure from your parents, teachers, and friends to find your one special passion. Guidance counselors repeatedly ask what you want to major in at college and sports coaches expect you to sign yourself away to the collegiate team. It can feel extremely overwhelming navigating other people’s expectations when you don’t even know who you are.
I remember feeling like this. At 15, I just wanted to know my passion so that I could get going! Contrary to what your teachers and parents might tell you, in order to find your passion, first you need to get going. You can’t wait around, expecting your passion to find you. You have to get out, live your life, and try new things in order to discover what you’re passionate about.
Nearly every person I interviewed, from CEOs to authors, didn’t find their passions until later in life. They tried a lot of things and made many changes throughout their journey to get to where they are today.
Nova Hissy, who I met in Bali, is an Indonesian artist. She always thought she wanted to be a chef, so she studied cooking for years. It wasn’t until she had spent time working in the industry that she realized art was what she really wanted to pursue as a career.
The successful people you look up to were confused too! You don’t have to have your entire life planned out as a teen. Stop putting pressure on yourself to “figure it out” and instead, just enjoy doing things. When you taste different subjects and activities, that doesn’t mean you’re any less determined or capable than your classmate who has had her eyes set on being a doctor since she was seven years old.
You’ll find your way. Take a deep breath. You have an entire lifetime to figure out who you are. In the meantime, have some fun and learn as much as you can. Just start somewhere."
Get your copy of It's the Depression for Me for more insights!
