Lately I spend most of my days glued to my computer on an endless search for writing jobs. With graduation only 2 months away, I have to be alert for any and every opportunity. Some days I just want to quit and live my life as an adult child (I hear that's a thing, but mostly among the fetish community). Other days I feel like I'm the most prestigious writer in the world and should have rose petals thrown at my feet. And then there's days, like today, where I freak out and wonder if I'm totally unqualified for these big jobs in the city. I want so badly to succeed. I want to prove to myself and others that even a small town girl with anxiety and chronic shyness can stand up and have a voice that speaks to millions. For as long as I can remember, writing has been my passion. I remember in 5th grade when we had this troupe called "The Imagination Machine" come to the school every Spring and perform skits written by us students. Well, my story involved a skunk named Stinky Pete who stunk up the whole jungle. Pete wanted so badly to fit in with his friends, so one day they gave him a bath in tomato juice and the smell vanished. And they all lived happily ever after. Now that I think about it, that probably wasn't the best lesson (change yourself and people will like you). But hey, I was 10. My story won and was brought to life before my eyes - to hear people laugh, gasp, and cheer for MY story made me realize that this is what I want to do. I always keep that memory in the back of my mind when I'm applying for jobs, so that when I feel discouraged, I think back to that day and how that moment changed everything for me.
For those of you who are almost post graduates (or are post graduates) and are struggling to find a job, just keep pushing through. For every door that closes, you're one step closer to the door that's going to open. Take those failures and learn something from them so that you can move forward with more knowledge than you had before. I know it's hard not to compare yourself to what others are doing and how successful they are, but seriously don't do that. It's not a race, we all reach our goals at our own pace (oh hey unintentional rhyme). Just focus on you and staying positive and I promise, life opens up.
Until next time loves!