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Hey Krachel 🙂
This is a bit of late reply; I’ve had a couple busy/stressful weeks with moving into a new apartment, starting a new semester, etc etc etc. HOWEVER, I just listened to your “Bring Your Own Butterbeer” podcast episode while, yes, sitting in a coffee shop and I am dumbstruck. Side note – are 4$ cappuccinos overpriced? Yes. Do they provide me with unfailing joy and comfort? Yes. Will I keep spending my nonexistent funds on these creamy, delectable cups of comfort? HECK yes. Okay *camera pans back to the host* I think I’m in a version of the matrix crossed with inception or a wacky space-time continuum because I think Rachel is me speaking to me from the future which is the present…or some form of that scenario which is much more realistic. Both of your comments on my previous posts are golden nuggets of wisdom that I am going to file away and reserve for later use because my inquiries were not the questions I needed to be asking at this moment in my life. I keep trying to skip steps and rush things and just get the heck out of dodge because my current situation is uncomfortable, tough to swallow and a constant test of my character… but I’m starting to realize that might not be such a bad thing. One comment you (Rachel) made in the pod that resonated with me was talking about how you’ve come to accept that it’s possible to be content where you are and be hopeful about experiencing a change towards something better in the future.Woah.
Seriously needed to hear that today and every day for the past five years.
Understanding that I can’t plan out my future and believing I can’t plan out my future have been diametrically opposed (foes) notions in my head for a while now. Through you guys, your blog posts, podcasts, the passion plan, various self-helpy books, countless personality tests and some beautifully challenging life experiences, it’s finally hit me that I cannot keep rushing through my life just because I’m not satisfied with where I am right now. Speeding through college just to get out, with absolutely no external pressure to do so, just isn’t necessary. Comparison is the thief of joy but impatience is her evil, unassuming twin. I’ll never be happy if I can’t learn to be present. “If happiness always depends on something expected in the future, we are chasing a will-o’-the-wisp that ever eludes our grasp, until the future, and ourselves, vanish into the abyss of death.” Alan Watts was on to something.
As a young woman, starting her 20’s in a place of uncertainty and anxiety, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared out of my mind about the future. So, I guess it’s a good thing we get to choose how we deal with our fears because this next part of my life is terrifying to think about right now, but I can choose to face it and come out the other side with a new stash of life lessons under my belt.
Enjoy your time in Europe, sip a cappuccino or two with a good book at a charming café for me. I’m sending a virtual hug to both of you and sincere thanks.
Caela
P.S. Happy Birthday 🙂
Hey Kristen (and Rachel :)),
Wow…you hit the nail on the head. I was nodding my head and internally screaming, “yes that’s exactly it!” while I read over your reply. My visionary Firestarter is and has been putting extra pressure on me to figure out my life since sophomore year of high school. It’s easy for me to become trapped in this thought-anxiety bubble where I can only have one path, one career, one business, etc. As for the questions “what do I want to create?” and “what problem do I want to solve?” those are a bit trickier to unpack. It feels as if I continuously notice things I would change or want to improve, but I either think it’s too big an issue to tackle or too small or I psyche myself out of taking the next step… I have a few gremlins I need to work on. What should I do when I have, say, three ideas I could see as potential business ventures, school clubs, etc.? How do I pick between them? I’m a dreamer, but I’m not entirely unrealistic. I simply don’t have the time or energy to have a 15-hour class load, part-time job/internship, involvement in other social groups, maintain my mental and physical well-being as a non-social butterfly AND jump on every idea that pops into my head. Nor do I want to; quality over quantity is much more important to me. Patience isn’t my strong suit, and I’m beginning to acknowledge it’s okay not to be on the Forbes 30 Under 30 right now (hey, I still have a decade to get there :)). Life experiences only come with time, and I GUESS I am still a spring chicken, even if I do like being in bed before 11 pm. But back to my main question, more often than not I don’t know where to start when I have a lightbulb moment.I know this was kind of all over the place — I was writing as the thoughts came into into my head — but I’d love to know what you guys (and anyone else in the group) think and/or any tips!
P.S. If this is starting to sound like more coaching one-on-one territory, that’s fine too! I had been looking into the option for a while now but just wasn’t sure if you worked with clients who were still in college…
Hey Mary! Thanks so much for the book suggestion, I have subsequently added it to my (growing) reading list 🙂 And Europe was indeed a lot of fun. I don’t know if you’ve been there before but I can’t recommend traveling there enough!
Hey Audrey,
First of all, thanks for your reply and words of wisdom! Second of all, I completely sympathize with you and your pursuit of a ‘breakthrough.’ Even if neither of us knows what comes next, it’s comforting to realize there is another introverted firestarter out there facing similar problems. Have a great Tuesday 🙂Hey everyone! Haven’t posted on here in a hot minute but I’m struggling a little bit lately and thought I’d send out a request for suggestions, comments, crazy ideas, book recommendations…anything really! A bit of background info, I’m a firestarter through and through (literally every natural attribute, challenge and thing’s firestarter’s are attracted to, are adjectives I would use to describe myself). I’m going into my second year of college, changed my major(s) five times this year, went through some highs, mostly lows, but this summer I was fortunate enough to spend eight weeks in Europe traveling. Six of those weeks were spent at a study abroad institute where I was enlightened about my burning desire to travel and become fluent in French. Experiencing new ways of living, cultural norms, and cities while doing a lot of observing and a a little self-exploration via reading a few thought-provoking novels on my many hours on trains, planes, and buses, I felt like I was moving in the right direction. By the way, highly recommend The Culture Map by Erin Meyer and Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. I returned to my hometown a couple weeks ago and have definitely been in the throws of post-study abroad depression. Before this summer, I was struggling to find clarity in what I wanted to do with my life and while I didn’t know what that was, living in Europe, I have never felt more centered and in-tune with the world…and no, I’m not talking about partying all the time or skipping class 🙂 I’m an introvert, maybe even a highly sensitive one, so staying out late club-hopping in Paris was not on my bucket list. My question for you all is how in the heck can I figure out what I could pursue that would make me feel fulfilled as a very independent, big-picture thinking firestarter when all I know is that I felt more alive and at home this summer abroad than I ever have at my university or even my home city. All I can think about, every day, is how inspired I feel by various young people I know who are fearless in the pursuit of their vision/business plan/start-up coffee shop/etc. and how conflicted I feel because I so desperately crave that kind of self-fulfilling autonomy but I can’t very well pursue a new career or business venture without a solid, strong idea. I’m dying to start the journey of making my vision a reality…I just can’t seem to figure out what that is exactly and I feel like I’m going to go crazy if I have to go another year at a college in a small town I don’t particularly want to be in without some sort of plan. I’d love any input anyone could offer, thanks guys!!
