Reverse Retirement

My Grandma told me a few years back “Honey- I just use a pencil for you at this point.”

Both times I just had to giggle and respond with “How the heck do you think I got all these good stories?!”

I have been thinking about all my crazy moves and adventures lately because of some conversations with young college girls I worked with a bit this spring. The kind that have all the potential in the world, life at their fingertips and are between the ages of 18 and 22. Questioning whether they should jump or not, they’d say things like; “I have always wanted to move here, or try this, or do that but I’m not sure…” I tell them:

GO!

Do it.

Jump.

There’s no time like now, it only gets harder as you get older. Listen to yourself. Go wander around, screw around, explore around, study around- whatever you have always wanted to do. Pay for it all yourself. Every penny. When anyone wants to give you any negative feedback/thoughts/opinions/ “noise”,  you can tell them to go screw themselves. Why? Because you are supporting yourself, yes you have health insurance, AAA, a cell phone and all those other “safety and responsibility” things in line thank you very much and you have earned and paid for them all yourself. You’ll know when it’s time for you to slow down or start the next phase of your life. It’s a different time for everyone and no one else can decide that for you. The time you spend traveling or studying or doing that “thing” you have always wanted to- will offer you lessons for your life like nothing else can. It is now time for your reverse retirement. Enjoy it. Be smart, keep your eyes open for opportunity (take it if it feels right), but for god’s sakes don’t ever worry about where you “should”or “shouldn’t” be. I’ve done enough worrying about that for you and I can promise the worry has been a waste. Trust me.

I hope they listen and take some of that advice.

I’m thankful I got that advice from other people and can pass it on to the next “generation.”

Not everyone would agree that it’s the best and smartest choice for whatever successful future if you step off the beaten path and move around a bunch. Sure you might get behind the eight ball on a few things if you don’t follow a certain schedule. Yes, you have to have some kind of game plan. I still think jumping is the best way to go. I’m no genius. I don’t know any big secret, I just know jumping has given me lessons I would’ve never found otherwise. Most importantly I think jumping teaches us the ability to appreciate and understand things/life/people better and more. Now that’s something I am all about encouraging.