Dear Mountain Mama,
I received an offer to work full time as a sales rep for a local outdoor company. It’s a dream come true for me — traveling, meeting outdoorsy people, and selling a great product.
The only hitch is that my parents say they will cut me off if I accept. I’m in my mid-twenties and have two years left of college. My parents pay for school and rent, and they say it’s now or never. They’re threatening to cut me off entirely if I take this job.
Thanks,
Confused with Wanderlust
Dear Confused with Wanderlust,
A few times in the course of our lives the universe dishes up a life-defining opportunity. The chance presents living out our grandest dreams. When this happens, we must have the courage to go.
Wanderlust, ask yourself if this is one of those opportunities. You’re an adult now and will figure out how to pay rent. Being responsible for you own bills might seem like a drag at first. But that also means you don’t have to ask for approval for your career choices. You don’t have to follow a path that makes others feel comfortable about what they perceive to be the track to success. You don’t have to measure your life by diplomas or bank account statements.
If this is truly what you want to do, go for it! Oh Wanderlust, think of the places you will go! The rivers you’ll paddle and mountains you’ll climb! And you’ll meet people along the way, some will become lifelong friends and others will be one-time adventure partners. People will open up their homes to you and lend you outdoor gear. Along the way, you’ll develop the skills and confidence to stand on your own two feet and trust your decisions.
It’s scary. There will be long days of talking to people who don’t buy what you have to sell. You’ll be tired and far away from home. But the risk of opting for security over adventure is scarier. Wanderlust, don’t end up saddled with a mortgage payment, stuck behind a computer screen, and sitting in a cubicle located in a city you hate living in just because if feels safe. You don’t want to end up with regrets about the things you could have done but were too afraid to do.
Wanderlust, nourish that adventurous spirit! Enjoy sunrises, thunderstorms, blizzards, blissfully bluebird skies, and sunsets on a constantly changing horizon.
Yours,
Mountain Mama
