A friend of mine shared a beautiful blog post on her Facebook page earlier. I was so touched by the stunning images and simple but impactful questions that I wanted to share some of the ideas with you, too. The full post is from the blog Random Stuff From My Daily Life, and this particular entry is called 25 Beautifully Illustrated Thought-Provoking Questions. These are a few of my favorite questions…
These photos aren’t the only big life questioning moments I had today so far – I also had a little chat with my cousin about life and stress and finding out where you’re supposed to be. She’s in college and starting to be scared that she’s not figuring things out quickly enough. From where I’m sitting now, 30 isn’t all that old or wise, but I realize that when you’re in your early 20’s, 30 looks like a lightyear away. I’m not extremely old and wise, but I’ve been around enough times to realize that no one has it all figured out, and it’s pointless to put yourself through the wringer about it. I was trying to write this to her and ended up writing something that I’m so proud of, something I think really does define who I am.
I wrote: “I just figured out what I HOPE to do professionally with my life, provided I can make it happen. Other than that, I’m still utterly lost. But I’ve always liked not being constrained by expectations (mine or anyone else’s), so other than the money woes, everything else can suck it. This is my life, and my time. I’m under no obligation to cut a clear path anywhere.”
It’s funny when you’re trying hard to give someone a snippet of helpfulness, and you end up teaching yourself a lesson about you. I’ll come back to this spot when I’m not feeling as driven as I do today, and remember that I’m under no obligation to anyone but myself, and I’m pretty darn happy with me. Sure, improvements can be made – they always can, no matter who you are – but I’m doing a great job at opening my mind and my heart, boldly going where no Anna has gone before in this particular lifetime. That’s the point. I’m getting somewhere.
Hope you’re all feeling at home at your own personal level of success and enlightenment.
Compass & Quill 
I love the last question and I can say frankly, almost nothing. And I’ve lived my whole life that way–not for everybody, but it works(ed) for me.
That’s fantastic to hear, and such an inspiration! I’ve been thinking of all of the little ways I’ve had less fun than I should, just because I was scared of other peoples’ opinions. When my boyfriend and I were in Salem, MA in October, I really wanted a photo-op with this corny set of stocks in a parking lot (you know how they used to put petty criminals ‘in the stocks’ where their head and arms were immobilized in the wooden contraption?). Anyway, it was a silly thing to do, but I really wanted to. Then some teenagers started clowning around nearby, and suddenly I was too embarrassed to play. Now I regret not just being childlike for a moment when I had the opportunity. I don’t want to live like that – those are the moments that keep you young forever, and I should embrace them!