Modern life in the developed world comes with certain expectations. After you finish high school, you go to college and earn your degree. You start a family and work your way up the career ladder as far as you can go. You accumulate wealth, buy as big a house as you can, and teach your children the joy of following the same path. At least, that’s the idea, but ideas and reality often find a way of being at odds.
While there is absolutely nothing wrong with living this kind of life, the variables in being human mean it’s not an attractive prospect for everyone. One person’s dream is another’s nightmare, and that’s something we need to accept if we want the best chance of being happy. Looking at the common components of life where nontypical people diverge, we want to explore what other options represent if you choose to march to a different beat.
Walking your Path
The idea of starting college right after high school has a strong foundation. People of this age are still in the early part of their lives, where they’re free from many of the responsibilities of adulthood while maintaining a learning mindset. The problem is, it’s difficult to decide on what the best degree might be for you or if one is right at all before you experience more of what the world offers.
According to modern surveys, over 82% of degree holders think college is a good financial investment. Despite this number, 61% of graduates would change their majors if they could. Both proportions are skewed even further when you factor in that around a third of undergraduates never complete the degree they begin.
Waiting until later in life can introduce more challenges, but it also means you get to see more of the world to better decide the career path you would like, or even if you would prefer a simpler job. While there is always debate around some forms of employment, as long as it fulfils your financial and emotional needs, then that’s all that really matters. From flipping burgers at Mcdonalds’ to stocking shelves at a grocery store, or becoming a high-powered lawyer, the only wrong jobs are ones that don’t fit you.
Time for Yourself
At the end of their lives, few people will wish they worked more than already did. Most people think more about what they could have done with more spare time for the things they love. Of course, this is a balancing act, where you need to draw lines to keep life moving in the right direction. Consider what would happen if you downsized your lifestyle to an alternative and humbler and green existence, and what that could afford you.
With more time for family, you could get closer as individuals, build collective skills, and work on family projects. Learning skills like sewing, cooking, and small gardening efforts can be a lot of fun and rewarding in many ways. Fixing your own clothes, cooking instead of going out, and growing your own tomatoes is all simple. They can save you money, and they’re just plain impressive skills that modern humans have increasingly lost.
The same can be said for time with friends engaging in hobbies like playing in live dealer casinos. Without the need to visit physical locations, playing in these casinos can be cheaper than other alternatives. With so many websites and bonuses, there’s a lot of flexibility available too, and this applies to many hobbies, especially when you’re able to play with real players. The basic takeaway here is that if you have more time for yourself, and look for alternative ways to enjoy traditional pursuits, you could take your efforts even further.
One of the most challenging parts of living a life outside of the norm is how often it will be challenged and even looked down on by those who play by the rules. Some people will see an attack on the status quo as an attack on them, but this isn’t at all true. Life is short, and we’re too weird and different to act as if we’re all the same. Embrace the things that make you different, consider different options, and you’re much more likely to settle into a lifestyle that will fully satisfy your mind, body, and soul.