Live Your Life Your Way
By Abbie Vanessa
Listen up, and hope this sticks. I’m sure you guys have heard this regularly, but there are still a lot of people out there that are still allowing others to guide the way you view life. I find myself envisioning my life daily, and it makes me so excited. The second I tell someone about it there’s always a side comment or an unwanted opinion. We are all experiencing different events so why would I listen to someone who isn’t on the same wave.
I am living my life based on everything that I have chosen to have and not have in my life. I’m not following a guideline because it’s basic. It doesn’t fit and won’t fit, so I don’t want to play Follow the Leader. I’m that person that will walk along with people not behind them.
I came from a family that helped me to the max when it comes to life.
Being the only girl and the youngest in the family, I got the most direction and protection from everyone. I had a safety net my whole life, but the day I got emotionally hurt in a relationship, I felt so lost, and I knew I couldn’t have everyone direct the way I live my life.
“I’m no Mr. Clean and damn right I’m no housewife.”
If my family had it their way, I would have been forced to do the traditional route. School until I’m 26, find a husband, have kids, and die being a housewife and cleaning after everyone. Let me tell you I’m no Mr. Clean and damn right I’m no housewife.
I grew up watching my mother sacrifice her life to take care of my brothers and me. Making sure the house was perfect for us. Now that we are older, it looks like she is a bit lost. She started working about 4 years ago and is finally getting used to having her own life again, but she was terrified. I continuously tell myself I do not want that for me. So I challenge myself to make life a bit different every day.
I knew college was not going to work for me. My talents would go to waste if I stayed in a classroom reading up on things I can give two shits about. I pushed my friends and family to get comfortable with me, not accepting what they want me to do, and now they are impressed to see where I’m at.
“I will not know how to live life if you and dad constantly save me.”
One day, I asked one of my coworkers what her view was on how to live life. She has a daughter my age; she said one day, her daughter said, “You need to let me fall and get hurt because I will not know how to live life if you and dad constantly save me. You guys try to protect me and make sure I do the right things because you have been there and done that, but I won’t have you forever and can’t depend on you to be my safety net.” This made me so happy because I can imagine how hard it is to be a parent. To want to protect your child from harm, but I’ve learned the hard way that parents will never avoid it.
As individuals, we learn how to figure out solutions and how to cope with what life throws at you. You should live your life the way you want it to be. Don’t waste time pleasing others boo. People only view your life for a few seconds, and honestly, unless that person is next to me 24/7 I’m not letting anyone direct the way I see or live it.
If you are happy, have a home (regardless if it’s alone, with roommates, or with family), food to eat…you are doing great, sweetie. Spend your time doing things that make you happy.