The Winding Path
The Journey Isn’t Always a Straight Line And That’s Okay
We often admire stories with clear happy endings. Not because the person did exactly what they set out to do, but because things worked out; they found peace, purpose, or something better than they imagined.
Why then in our own lives, are we so much harder on ourselves?
If we start something - a degree, a career, a plan, and don’t finish it in the way we first imagined, we label it a failure. “I dropped out.” “I never finished.” “I changed my mind.”
We don’t stop to ask:
What if changing direction wasn’t failure at all? What if it was a sign of growth?
Changing Paths Isn’t Quitting, It’s Listening to Yourself
Sometimes people begin a journey with one destination in mind, only to find a different path more suited to who they are or who they’re becoming. That takes real courage to acknowledge, momentous courage even.
It’s not easy to look around at what everyone else is doing and say, “Actually, this isn’t for me.”
There’s bravery in recognising that the original dream no longer fits and choosing not to keep climbing a mountain that’s not yours, just because you started.
Not Everyone’s Journey Looks the Same - And That’s the Point
Life doesn’t come with a universal timeline. Some people start their careers at 21, others at 35. Some graduate in three years, some in seven but more to the point, some don’t at all, because their path veered toward something else entirely.
You might stop along the way, stay somewhere unexpected, or take longer than others. That doesn’t make you behind. It makes you human.
COMPARISON IS TEMPTING, BUT IT RARELY SERVES US.
Everyone’s map is different, and just because your route isn’t typical doesn’t mean it isn’t meaningful.
Your Path, Your Pace, Your Ending
The goal isn’t to follow the ‘right’ route. It’s to find the one that feels right for you. To be able to say, even if no one else gets it, “This is where I’m meant to be.”
Because happy endings aren’t about finishing where you first intended. They’re about ending up somewhere that feels like home.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
You’ve already shown incredible courage by reading this far. That tells me you’re ready to do something different, even if you’re scared. And that’s okay .... courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s moving forward despite it.
Let’s have a conversation about where you are right now and where you’d like to be. No pressure, no judgment, just two people talking about what’s possible.