I have a refrigerator magnet that reads “I wouldn’t want to be normal, even if I knew what it was.” One of my personal favorites. I am learning more and more that I am not “normal”. Normal people seem to want a nice home, well behaved family, and stable jobs.
I have had so many jobs over the years, I have lost track of them. If I truly tried to list all the things I have done over the years to earn money, there is no way on earth it would fit on a one page Word document! I am in my early 40s now and I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.
I have tried working in corporate environments: Enterprise Rent A Car/Rent A Truck, Shell Oil (as a gas truck dispatcher), accounts payable clerk at an insurance company and a manufacturing company, receptionist at tech company, accounting firm and transportation company. I have tried working as an event coordinator, horse wrangler, rabbit feeder (that’s how I bought my first car!!), film producer, advertising account manager, photographer, a customer service representative (retail) and recently a concessionist/box office attendant at a movie theater. I have owned my own company three separate times in my life usually while working other jobs. The first was as a dance instructor in an aerobics studio. Then as a videographer (weddings, corporate training videos, music videos, etc.). Finally/Currently doing social media, public performance coaching and audiobook narration. I have even tried driving for Lyft!
I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. I realize this is not normal. However, I also realize that many “normal” people never have the adventures that I have. Many of them are stuck and feel they have no choices in life. Many get lost when they loose their job. Many are extremely happy doing the same thing day in and day out because they are good at what they are doing! We are not better than each other, just different. I recently stumbled on a Ted talk that is about me:
I am on the hunt for the next great career adventure at the moment. But how exactly do you put, “I’ll know it when I see it” as the objective on a resume? Maybe it should read, “Surprise Me!”? I know, how about “Something interesting that pays well!” I can see the job offers pouring in, can’t you?
Living in the RV full time has taught me a lot. And I will post more about the many lessons we have learned already. Like how to survive without running water in your home (pipes froze and we cannot find the source of the leak yet), or ways to grill foods you never thought of as grilling foods before, what life is like if you choose not to use real dishes anymore and every RVers favorite subject…ants…The battle is real! I always knew I was not normal and perhaps there is something wrong with me, but I want to continue to find a way forward with my current lifestyle. There are challenges for sure, but I would not trade this life for another one. So, I will continue to submit myself to the learning curve of RV living and I will continue to put in my resume for campground host/campground manager/Telecommuting/Writer/Proofreader/Speaker/Teacher/Retail Clerk/Salesperson/Handywoman/Driver/Social Media Guru/Momager (helping my daughter manage her music career)/Filmmaker/….oh, you get the idea. What can it hurt to try?
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