The path that life takes you

It’s funny how life is when you look back on your working life.

A few days ago, I received some updates about people via LinkedIn. I don’t always go check things out there, but sometimes I do. After looking at the news, I often look at my own profile, trying to figure what I can do to spruce it up some.

But when I was looking the other day, it made me really think about the life of working and the paths you take.

Being a “grown up” doesn’t always mean you are on a path that you will do forever. People change jobs. People change careers. People have life events happen that alter everything you may dream about or want to do.

People just change.

So I got thinking back about myself and my path. I’ve always seemed to have something to do with either sports or media. I delivered the paper (albeit a pennysaver) as a kid. I umpired little league. My first newspaper photo and article was published when I was in seventh grade.

After high school, I worked at a weekly paper for several years before going back to college. I freelanced in newspapers and interned doing PR things.

In grad school, I freelanced for more newspapers, which allowed me to actually learn a lot more than I did in the classrooms. Then it was a daily paper before my position as cut. And now, I’m in public relations in an educational setting.

The last part is rather humorous because my own high school memories aren’t really that good. Times have changed between then and now, though. Kids (for the most part) are more tolerant and accepting than back when I walked the halls as a student.

It’s also fun to look at other people’s paths and see if they stayed in the same sort of field, or if they branched off. Or to see when people go different places – and get different views.

Life is a crazy and interesting place, that’s for sure. Our paths can change quickly, as I know very well. People in interviews will often ask where you see yourself in 5-10 years. I honestly never know how to answer that question because life can throw you curve balls quickly and everything can be altered in a moment.

For now, though, I just smile at seeing updates and seeing how people’s paths go. I know how my path has gone and I honestly have no idea how it will go in the future. Even the best plans get all screwed up at some point or another, so you never can tell what will happen in life. Some paths stay the same and some change. It’s how you react to all of it that will make it a positive path no matter the direction you go.

 

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!