A Talk for Generation Y

So I have to be honest. This is my generation: the one born between 1983- 2002. And I'm currently at a point in my life where I have the power to choose what to do next. And I'm lucky enough to have the ability to choose between several options.
I have met several people from my generation throughout the world, and most of them, including me are terrified of the future. Student loans, the economy and so many other social and political topics have made this generation feel like they have no way to follow their passion.
I remember a talk I had, with several expats around my age, where we spoke of how doomed our generation was.
I was very surprised that my perspective of our situation was not the norm.
You see, I believe that this generation has the ability to prove all the naysayers, critics and the people that turn their nose up at our generation wrong. We have the challenge before us, and if we conquer that challenge, we will amaze the world!
Because it is so difficult, it's easy to see the meaning in facing it. 

Once again, it won't be easy, and yes things have become more difficult, but if we give up before we begin, what can the world say about us? 

After voicing my opinion to several other people my age, there was a stunned silence. 

"I've never thought of it that way." one person said, and "Maybe that's not so farfetched." another person said. But I was shocked. I had no idea that this perspective was so rare. 

Maybe it's because, I'm stubborn and I will face a challenge. Some might say I'm foolish and I watch too much Disney, but really? Is it so difficult? Is it really that tough to reach out to the world and find your calling? 

We have the technology, resources and the connections to find our way in the world. And I know that failure is possible, but it's never the end. 

I think Eunice Hii has a point. We can still follow our passion and find the motivation to discover that great career, and the thing is, passions change, goals change, and there's nothing wrong with that. 

What truly matters is to find the meaning in what you love to do, and to decide what it's worth to risk. 

I refuse to give up. And while my passion is to work for Disney, my purpose is to inspire others to overcome adversity and find the courage to be who they are. 

These facts took a long time to learn, but now that I know them, I'm one step closer to my goal. 

I agree with Eunice Hii. Even if it's not your job, you can be passionate about something and work toward it. You don't have to know your passion by a certain age, and it's okay if you haven't found it. 

My experience, both in identifying and pursuing what I love to do, is that life is really about meaning. If your hobbies, dream job and goals mean something to you, you will find a way to make them happen. 

A New Angle

Problem solving does not always have a straightforward solution. Although we are taught to look at things in a specific way, sometimes life just isn't that simple. We can get so caught up in the goal that we can miss the solution right in front of us. That's when it's time to step back and look at the problem in a new way. 

Disney's Big Hero 6 does a great job demonstrating what happens when you think outside the box. 

Hiro is trying to come up with something that will impress his brother's "nerd school" so he can start making great inventions like his brother. He hits a road block and becomes frustrated when he tries to come up with something amazing, but Tadashi tells him something really important. 

"Look for a new angle." 

This approach to problems is not always easy. 

Dan Pink explains this using what is called "The Candle Problem", a different way, and less common approach to problem solving. 

When it comes to careers and choices, life is more of a candle problem, and it's more difficult to find the box. This is especially true when it comes to career goals. There's never one set path, and it may take failure and set backs before you can see the solution.

In many cases, obstacles that seem daunting can actually be the solution that we need to move toward the goal. 

When life gives us candle problems, it usually adds a deadline, and enormous pressure to get the work done, but if we take a step back, the solution may not be as straightforward, or even as difficult as we have originally thought. 

When we look at things from a new angle, take a step back and stop focusing on what we think will reach the goal, the solution could be right in front of us.

The Power of Choices

Choices, especially difficult ones often seem to be daunting and stressful. Especially when we put them in a certain perspective. Because I am going through a difficult choice, I have been doing research on what would be the best outcome, and the best decision.
But sometimes, there is no better outcome or even the correct decision. It's just a fork in the road, and you can either go left or right.
Regardless of which direction you choose, the pressure is on. Did I make the right choice? Is life choosing for me? Fear of choices and change can often seem like a huge burden, but it can also be a valuable gift.
By facing a crossroads, you are at one of the most powerful points in your life. You decide where to go, what to do, who to be. No one can make this decision for you, which is why a hard choice is a valuable challenge in your life.
It is an opportunity to create who you are. It is a moment in your life where you can discover your values, your priorities and decide what kind of person you want to be.
Often when faced with hard choices, it is tempting to take the easy way. Maybe it's the one everyone wants you to take, or the one with the most financial comfort. But when faced with hard choices, it is  important to ask: Who am I? What do I stand for? What do I want?
And it is these questions that help you write your own story. It is these questions that allow you to create your purpose and motivation for your life journey.
During hard choices, we create our own destiny. And that is scary, because all of a sudden, we are in a position where we must decide for ourselves. But this scary situation is an opportunity to discover who we truly are and create who we want to be.

Hitzusen

As many people that know me have said, I am a thinker. I think a lot. About everything. The universe, the world, books, movies, coffee, tea, rain, what to have for breakfast. And my current thought pattern has involved the panic of what to do when my journey in South Korea comes to an end. My long-term goal is a big one, and to be fair, I have made quite a lot of progress in terms of where I want to be financially. It's the process of being an adult. To make these decisions that determine where you will be in life is a daunting and frightening concept. But there are some things in life you just can't control, and worrying doesn't change the situation. 

In talking with a good friend, she brought up this concept called divine timing. Similar to destiny or fate, what is meant to be will fall into place. 

This reminded me of the concept of hitsuzen in one of my favorite mangas Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle by CLAMP.

Hitsuzen is defined as a type of inevitability

Yuuko says hitsuzen is "a naturally foreordained event. A state in which other outcomes are impossible. A result which can only be obtained by a single casuality, and all other casualities would necessarily create different results." 

This is not exactly the same concept as destiny or fate, where regardless of what you do, it will happen. Instead it is the concept that one action is a ripple effect that causes a series of bigger events that will eventually fall into place. 

This is a difficult concept to grasp in a world where most of the things we want are now instantly available. But in terms of career, life and love, I believe that a certain amount of patience is required. 

A while ago, while working at the book store, I found this book about something called the quarter life crisis, and how it effects my generation more than the previous one due to the lack of economic support that twenty-somethings can get. 

Let's face it, most of us recent or even late former graduates are still paying back student loans, trying to go for the job we were promised in college, and meet all of society's demands for what is defined as an adult. 

But life doesn't work that way. Sure there's a path, but it's not straight. It's paved with risks, failures, obstacles and bridges that cross the everflowing rivers of disappointment and sadness that come with the process of achieving a goal. 

Life is full of surprises. Hardly anything goes to plan. But, opportunities come in their own time, and you must be willing to meet them. 

Currently, I'm drifting in this sea of uncertainty, not sure what the future will hold in a few months is something I haven't really experienced before on this grand a scale. 

But I do think there is something to be said about divine timing and hitsuzen. As long as you work towards a goal, and you don't let failure, rejection and criticism stop you, you will reach it. But in the meantime, along the path towards your goal, sometimes you will have to accept the uncertainty and just allow things to happen. 

So I am done with constantly worrying about my future to the point of exhaustion. Everyday I take a small step on a greater journey that I can't predict. But as long as the steps I take mean something to me, and they help me reach the goal I've set, hitzusen will work its magic and I will be there before I know it. 

Dreams, Wishes and Goals

(Inspired by the Emma Approved blog)

What is your dream? What do you wish? 

Did you know that they aren't the same thing?

A wish is a longing for something you don't have. It's a powerful want that is usually driven by the way you view the world. Some people wish for little or don't wish for anything. Other people wish for the most dramatic and life changing events to occur in their life. Regardless of what you wish for, it's important to know that wishing is one thing, and working toward what you want is another. 

That's where dreams come in. Where do you see yourself in five years? In ten? What are you doing currently to get there. That's right! Dreams are goals that you set and begin working toward. But dreams are not predictable or constant. 

People change. And, as a result, what they want and where they want to be changes. 

So how do you recognize what's a dream and what's a wish?

Easy. Which are you willing to work toward? 

You can wish for a perfect life, but are you willing to work for it? What do you believe you can do to get there? And let's be honest. There is no such thing as a perfect life. 

So the first step to discovering your dream, is to look at what you want, and decide what you are willing to do to get it. 

Once you recognize your dream, the next thing to do is set a goal. 

This could be a daily goal (like mine of writing every day) or a goal over months or years at a time. 

I know most of us don't want to remember school, but what did you have to get the work done? A deadline. Setting a certain amount of time is an important structure to check your progress and feel accomplished once the goal is met. 

Now here's the tricky part.

Once you have your goals, you have to stick to them, and this can be difficult. 

There will be days you want to avoid it. Days you may even want to give up will test your patience, expectations and overall view of your life. 

So once you set goals, you have to make sure that they are realistic. Can you write a book in a day? Probably not. A week? Maybe a short story? How about a month? (There is a contest to do this in November) 

So before you set your goals, check your motivation, time and realistic expectations. 

Once you have a goal, it's time to give yourself a pep talk. Don't Give Up! Keep Moving Forward! 

This has been (hopefully) an inspirational post.