Emily Greenwood is a thirtysomething who, in her own words, is 'creating a life based on choice rather than expectation'. After joining the Army at 17, she travelled to Germany, Florida and Qatar and then returned home and worked across various industries from airlines to fitness. She has recently left her job as a Project Manager in London in order to explore a more simple life - travel, adventure, self-awareness, connection. You can follow her journey via www.untetheredliving.co.uk
Stop.
Stop. Right. Now.
No, I'm not about to break into a Spice Girls song - which let me tell you - you should be very grateful about. I do, however, want to ask you to stop.
I want you, just for a second, to stop doubting yourself, stop comparing yourself, stop questioning your path. Stop worrying, apologising, defending a decision. Stop downgrading your importance, your voice, your place in the world. Stop following the crowd, stop denying your worth, stop silencing your heart. Stop holding onto that regret, stop being what you think you “should” be, stop trying to hold it all together.
No one has all their s*** together!
Not that girl you think has it all, or the boy flying up the career ladder. Not your favourite athlete or that TV presenter or that entrepreneur making waves in your dream sector. Not your friends, or your parents or your colleagues or that Instagram star.
Even the most inspiring, fearless, driven change makers you know and look up to do not have it all figured out.
You do not have to have it all figured out.
I say this as much to myself as to you because it’s tiring thinking about it any other way and I'm over it. The merry go round in our heads that tries to determine every possible outcome, the valuing other people’s opinions over our own, the well I “should” really live this way because that’s what people do…it’s exhausting.
And I’m worried too.
The more I see and listen and learn, the more scared I become of the expectations we put on people, on each other. I'm scared when I hear about what and who our kids are idolising and what their fears and worries are because of that. The unachievable aspirations and ideals, the pressure to have/do/achieve it all. We need to lighten the load. The amount of intelligent, motivated and strong individuals I speak to, who still need to justify their choices to those around them is frightening. And purely because our society is afraid of different, is afraid to be vulnerable and say "I don't want all this".
How about we own our uncertainty, we own our vulnerability, we talk honestly and openly and realise we are all just doing the best we can? Let’s own our decisions. Let’s celebrate our messy, eventful, meandering life journey’s and let messy be okay.
Let's be emboldened and motivated by those around us. Learn and be inspired. Celebrate their awesomeness but celebrate your own too….your own unique, wonderful, crazy awesomeness. Your path is your own. No-one knows what is best for you because no one is walking in your shoes. You’re forging your own way, you’re making history right now, that’s how extraordinary you are!
So to all you non-conformists, curious rebels and wild at heart. Here’s to not having all our s*** together, because honestly, how boring would it be if we did!
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