There comes a point in everyones lives where they’re faced with a big decision, a decision that could potentially change your whole life path, a “fork in the road” if you will. Well I currently find myself faced with said decision. It’s like, I have this image in my head of where I wanted my life to go, how I saw my future, my career, my vague plan. And now, that image is just getting more and more blurry and I am just getting more and more confused. I have always struggled with the question “where do you see yourself in 5 years?” Honestly, who the fuck knows?! I am very much a live in the moment kind of person, and let future Lyd deal with the future problems, and I love being that way, I really do. But when it comes to making big decisions, I have a tendency to let my spontaneity get the better of me. I want to be able to live life with no regrets. Its becoming clear that having regrets is a big fear of mine, and I have to keep reminding myself that if somethings not right, it’s never too late to change it.
So, I am currently faced with a decision, a career decision, with multiple forks in my road. So here are my options. As you may already know I spent last summer working in Greece as a photographer, it was amazing, and I’m not even exaggerating. So if I loved it so much it makes sense for me to go back for another year, right? Well they have offered me another job, a promotion in fact. Amazing, right? Except… it’s another temporary gig, so six months down the line I’ll be left homeless and jobless with nothing but a large portfolio, heavy camera, and even heavier suitcase. On the plus side, it continues my career in photography, and puts me in a stronger position for future photography jobs.
Fork number 2. I have spent the last few months embracing the inner fashionista in me and started working in retail. I know, super boring, I know. But I’m not gonna lie, I actually really enjoy working in that kind of environment, surrounded by beautiful clothes. My style has always been a little quirky, and I find that I can use my fashion as a way of expressing myself, and I take pride in that. But I am 110% not that kind of bitchy fashion obsessed girl, that always cares about what people think of her, gets her nails and hair done every week and looks people up and down judgementally whilst fluttering her false glued on eyelashes. I say this because even just working in the retail industry for 2 months, about 60% of the people I’ve met are like that. No joke. I just ignore their pursed lips and sassy hair flicks and wear my dungarees and converse combo with pride. Initially yeah, this was incredibly off-putting, and I presume that there are many people in the fashion industry just like that, but not all of them. And it doesn’t take away the fact that I have a passion for style and clothes and using that to help me be the unique person that I want to be. I’m going off on a tangent here… back to fork 2. After 2 months, my manager has begun discussing opportunities for progression for me. Of course my mind starts wondering, and I picture myself going into visual merchandising or a personal shopper, and then I get way too ahead of myself and start imagining starting my own fashion brand. I could be the new “Nasty Gal”, right? Maybe.
Fork numero 3. So as you may have gathered, I have a bit of a travelling addiction, and I’m always on the hunt for the next adventure. But travelling is always better when it’s with friends, fact. So when you’re absolutely always wanted to go to Australia, and you have Aussie friends over there that you’ve been saying you’ll go visit for the last 4 years, when another friend sends you that random “So I’m thinking of going to Australia to see the girls, do you wanna come with?”, of course you don’t even hesitate and immediately reply with “YES.” ….Ah crap. Spend a fortune living out my dream and travelling with some of the best people I know, to come back to having nothing again? Or go down a responsible route, you know, a route with a job attached. But will this opportunity come up again?
Aaaand finally, fork number 4. Yes I am aware that normal “fork in the road” scenarios only have 2 forks, but this is me, and for some reason all the best opportunities have to come to me at once. Another friend, another random text, opening up yet another doorway. This time, “There’s a job going here in Andorra and I thought of you.” Oh balls, that sounds awesome. What now? Run off and spontaneously do half a ski season? Why does that also sound so appealing? I could do that and get back just in time to go to Greece? Maybe, perhaps. My head hurts.