The road less travelled is often paved with solitude and a sprinkle of being misunderstood. It’s not for the faint-hearted as the journey calls for bold willingness to step beyond society’s expectations.
At 32, gracefully embracing singlehood while allowing myself the time to find the right life partner, child-free, sans a full-time job, and perpetually on the move, I’m the walking embodiment of that family “single aunt” stereotype—minus the cats.
However, despite not fitting into the traditional mold of success, I find myself at peace—genuinely and utterly so. My journey thus far has been a tapestry of adventures, missteps, triumphs, and everything in between, culminating in a life that feels, quite frankly, fulfilling.
Still, the questions come like clockwork: What are you doing with your life? What is your ultimate goal? For the longest time, I stumbled through my answers—not for lack of direction, but because I feared they simply wouldn’t get it.
“To help others. To change the world. To build something greater than myself.”
Admittedly, it’s a statement that teeters between profound and vague. It took me years to understand the depth of it myself, let alone articulate it in a way that didn’t invite pity or skepticism.
Society, of course, loves its formulas. Goals must be SMART—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. By those standards, my aspirations would likely fail spectacularly. Instead, they’re nebulous, ambitious, and blissfully nonconforming.
And yet, here’s the kicker: I believe in them. I believe in myself. While my path might not fit neatly into a PowerPoint presentation or a LinkedIn update, it’s mine. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from navigating this winding road, it’s that dreaming big, even without a map, has a funny way of leading exactly where you’re meant to be.
It took me a while to get here—years of questioning, second-guessing, and occasionally wondering if I should just throw in the towel and follow the script. But boy, am I glad I stayed the course. Because here, in this very moment, I’ve found my calling: being of service to others. Whether it’s guiding someone through their first headstand in yoga or helping them conquer the nuances of English grammar, I’m doing what I love and loving what I do.
Sure, it’s not conventional. I may never have a corporate title or an office with my name on the door. But the work I do feels meaningful. It feels right. And if that’s not success, I’m not sure what is.
Here’s to the road less traveled—lonely, misunderstood, and utterly worth every step.
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