Читать книгу 20 Something Manifesto - Christine Hassler - Страница 9

If you are looking for a book that gives you all the answers to make your twenty-something woes disappear, this is not it. If you are looking for someone else to tell you what decisions to make about your life, I’m not that person. If you want to read stories that talk about material achievements, this is not the manifesto you want. And if you are looking for a motivational book that is simply going to tell you things like, “Follow your dreams and anything is possible,” or “You are in the prime of your life and it is supposed to be great” — sorry. However, if you are looking for a book full of real stories of personal struggles and successes, this is your manifesto. If you want to learn how to find your own answers, I’ll share with you how that is possible. And if you are ready to look beyond inspirational anecdotes and take a hard look at yourself so that you are empowered and inspired, then you picked up the right book.

How many times have you been told to “simply follow your passion, and money, love, and success will follow?” I’ve read my fair share of motivational books and went to many seminars in my twenties looking for the key to getting out of my own quarter-life crisis. They would leave me inspired for about a week and then I’d fade right back into my funk. So this book really isn’t about getting you pumped up or solving all your problems — you have to do more than just read a book for that. It’s about inspiring you to accept where you are and take action to move forward to where you want to be. This manifesto is about supporting you as you navigate through the questions of what I call the “Twenties Triangle”: Who am I? What do I want? How do I get it?

The twenty-something years are a confusing, scary, frustrating and exciting, stimulating, and transformational time. Unfortunately, a high school or college diploma does not come with instructions for the “real world.” You have to believe in and truly get to know yourself in order to have clarity about your dreams and goals as well as insights about how to reach them. But that is no easy task, especially in a society that is so externally focused and driven by expectations.

Somehow this decade has gotten the reputation for being a time when you are supposed to figure out your entire life while having the time of your life. My purpose in writing this manifesto is to change this expectation. The twenty-something years are a rather messy rite of passage without any fancy ceremonies or parties to mark that you are through it. Sometimes it’s a fun play-in-the-mud-during-a-rainstorm kind of messy — other times it’s a your-car-is-stuck-in-the-mud-and-it’s-all-over-your-new-suit kind of messy. If you are struggling to find balance and direction, welcome to really being twenty something! It’s okay — once you remove this intense pressure to do, be, and have so much on the outside, and shift your focus inside, you will see that you get to decide what your twenty-something years are really about. You are the expert, you have the answers, and you will be your own greatest motivator.

But I bet you don’t feel like an expert. . . . In fact you are probably craving expert advice from someone. Like some kind of sign from the heavens that will tell you what to do or reassure you that what you are doing is “right.” Perhaps you are confused over the life you are “supposed” to be living versus the life you are actually living. Twenty-something life is not like an episode of Friends, but for some reason we think it should be. This has left a lot of twenty somethings stressed out on the inside while trying to be something they think they’re supposed to be on the outside. No more. Welcome to the Twenty-Something Manifesto.

“The most difficult thing about being a twenty something is trying to sort out where I fit in life. Am I an adult or am I still a child in many ways? What am I going to do with my life? I feel confused and overwhelmed in general. That is what I find difficult about being a twenty something. I wish I came equipped with a manual.”

Sales associate, 25, separated, Ohio

This is a book about one of the most important journeys of your life, the twenty-something journey. As you travel thru this manifesto, you’ll hear from people who are just packing their bags for the trip and people who are at the end of the journey reflecting on what they saw, experienced, and learned along the way. Hopefully, the information and stories shared in this book, along with some nudging and support from me, will encourage you to give in to the ride of your twenty-something experiences. As you do, your dreams will unfold and answers to your questions will become clearer. All the twists and turns, unknowns, and Expectation Hangovers^™ that come with this decade will make sense eventually. I promise. You just need to give it some investigation and time. So let go of the safety bar, toss your hands in the air, let out a scream, and enjoy the ride. . . .