Just in case we haven’t met before (or haven’t seen each other in a while), here’s a quick recap of my life to this point:

I grew up skiing and adventuring in Park City, Utah (best town ever) and spent my college years exploring the beautiful city of Seattle.  After a year of odd (and awesome) jobs after college I opted to move back in with my parents, taking a grown-up job at an engineering company. I’ve been here 9 months now and while it’s been wonderful getting to know my parents as friends (and saving up some much appreciated cash), I know that this life isn’t permanent.

I sort of use my math and journalism degrees, writing technical reports and coding programs for one of a kind scientific laboratories, but right now sitting at a desk and staring at a computer screen just isn’t cutting it (it isn’t you engineering, it’s me). There is so much going on outside this cubicle; staying comfortable inside just for a few guaranteed dollars isn’t worth missing out on the great unknown.

So I’ve made the decision to pack my life in boxes and head out on an adventure to figure out a career I can love. I want to be excited to go to work in the morning and want to stay late to finish something up. I want my weekends to be an extension of my weekdays, not a respite. There are so many interesting things to do and see in the world, one of them has to be something I can get decently paid for.

I question my decision to pack up and explore the world all the time.  Who am I to leave a perfectly normal job?  Am I asking for too much?  Have I been unappreciative of my opportunities?  Will I regret this later?  Am I delusional? (exploring the world in search of a meaningful and enjoyable career is slightly ambitious, I know).  But I also know I’m as capable of living beautifully as we all are, and really isn’t my ability to try all the more reason to do so?  People lead by example – if I have the opportunity to make my happiness a reality isn’t it right that I should take it?

So what happens now? Here is what I do know. I know I’m 24 years old and can do anything I put my mind to. I know that I am more than what I majored in or work as. I know time is precious, but my life won’t end at 30. I know choosing to limit yourself to one side of your brain is bizarre and that the job search is more about finding the right job than any job. I know taking a risk may or may not pay off and I know that a great part about life is imagining what’s next. Who knows the places I’ll find myself in the next years, but I do know I’ll be glad I put the effort into looking for them.