Growing up brings so many hard questions society asks us. Ultimately, what are we going to do with our life? Who honestly knows.. cause well, I’d actually really like to figure it out! My mom told me to get done school so I could “start my life” sorry mom to call you out on this, but I have been starting my life. My life has begun! 24 years ago to be exact and guess what happened? I did the normal college thing and I finished..Barely. I was not excited about my program and it showed. The people and experiences were great. The education, on the other hand, I didn’t grasp because the interest and passion were just not there. So I got all my credits, again barely and left school to get ma life all started up like I was told to do.
I was probably only told that once but it just resonated with me because I totally disagreed with that statement said to me many months ago. Anyways, I go home pretty well student broke as could be and start working at a family run business, ah I can finally put my education to work! Well, I believe it was 6 months later, I’m here learning how the operation goes and my role in the grand scheme of things. I think constantly, “is this what I’m going to do for the rest of my life? Is this what I would have chosen for a career if it wasn’t exposed to me throughout my whole life? Would I decide on this type of work any other way?” The answer was no. I have a “now or never” mentality to take action and though those 6 months, I decided now!
I’m sure some of you have been lucky to get an opportunity like mine and it be a field you truly are passionate about. Me, however, couldn’t imagine this being the end of my career journey. I felt no personal growth in those 6 months. I want to feel challenged and feel I am exposing myself to the unfamiliar in exchange to grow as a person of this planet.
I knew what my deepest passion was and I researched it, thinking of ideas; next steps for me to dip my toes into it. Of course, the focus was on horses, specifically becoming a better horsewoman and barrel racer. So naturally I abruptly, in a matter of 2 weeks got on an airplane to Oklahoma with no date of return. Just a gentle test of the waters, you know, nice and casual. Since I chose now, now I can say I have no regrets. However, during my time in the USA I thought I had some real ones. I moved around quite a bit and for some Canadian barrel racer dragging her poor 4-year-old futurity horse wherever she goes; we got through it pretty well. Throughout the early stages and several wake up calls. I managed to travel to 4 states and I was feeling very unsure of my choices.
Looking back I can’t say I regret anything, even if I felt it temporarily. I have met some freaking incredible people, (if you like to hear about someone’s story on meeting people to encourage you to do it even though it freaks you out a little, I agree! But I will talk about that later on here) every place has brought a little more light to my life journey and for that, the regrets are done to a low zero!
So, what do I want to do as this trip dwindles down to the last few weeks? I definitely have been reflecting a lot on this crazy thing I did and I’ve been stopping for a few moments to take it all in. I know my time is almost done and I noticed today as I stopped and looked at it all. Looking at where I was, what I was doing. The beautiful black hills of South Dakota all around me and know soon enough this whole experience is about to be in the past.
It freaks me out knowing inevitably, all things come to an end. Everything does it and I bet you can’t think of one thing that won’t eventually come to an end in your life. The time flies and it’s such a short amount we are allowed to live through it all. We don’t even know how much time we get to waste here; it’s scary! Embrace all of life’s mess and questionable regrets as we go through this journey. Because it has started, officially!