What Every Two Year Old Asks, But Why?
I want to first give a big shout out to anyone who writes a daily or even weekly blog, this is hard, way to goo! And now onto this week’s post….
Think of any two year old or toddler that you’ve come in contact with and ask yourself: “what is the one question you know they are going to ask in the first 2 minutes of speaking with you?… Why???”
I was reminded of this over the weekend as I was out of town at a family wedding and my 3 year-old little cousin was asking or rather complaining about why he had to wear a boutonniere as he was about to walk down the aisle as the ringer bearer (don’t worry boutonniere came off and he crushed it, love you Jamo). And the question of why (preceded by what) was asked of me as I caught up with family and friends throughout the weekend.
Why am I going on Remote Year?
(side note — hi family! So great seeing you all over the weekend, we must do it again soon).
Put simply I want to go on Remote Year for moments like these:
As cheesy as it may sound I’m someone who comes alive in unfamiliar places (somewhat of an oxymoron huh). I embrace the change and while I will be scared out of my mind and plan everything down to the last detail, once I’m there I know it’ll be for the better. I get restless, bored and feel unfulfilled when I stay in the same place or do the same thing for too long. I need the change.
But come on Annie there must be more reasons why you want to do this?
Well let me reference Remote Year first, this is what they tell people why they want to go on this journey (https://remoteyear.com/itineraries/ohana — scroll to the bottom):
1. Grow in your career and your life
2. Break the traditional work week
3. Join a supportive community of like-valued people
4. Do amazing work from inspiring places
5. Getting out of your comfort zone
6. Make a positive impact
7. Adventures beyond
Those all sound pretty great, right? And many of the above reasons are why I wanted to come on Remote Year, but I think the most overriding one for me if I’m honest with myself is I wanted to come on Remote Year because I’m searching.
Well WTF does that mean Annie?
By searching I don’t mean I’m searching for myself (please if you’re thinking of doing Remote Year and you think Remote Year is going to change you I’d advise against it or at least think about it more). I think (and now I haven’t left, but it’s been explained to me several times in prep webinars), that if you don’t know who you are before this journey, you likely won’t find that person on Remote Year. You need to be you or rather “you do you boo” has been reiterated by countless people to me over the past few months.
At almost 30 years old (eeekkk big 30 comes in 10 days) I am pretty comfortable with who I am. I’m:
· Extrovert (most of the time unless I’m hungover or exhausted)
· A fan of change
· Loud (come to a family dinner with me, nobody can hear what the other person is saying)
· Fiercely loyal (sometimes to a fault)
· Determined
· SUPER Type A — ask my fellow Ohana’s — already making spreadsheets for them and I haven’t even met them in person yet
· Strong on the outside, but soft on the inside
· Terrible short-term memory
· Easily embarrassed
· Fib sometimes to cover my embarrassment
· Sometimes a know it all
· But really a simple, good-ole American girl (not Trump’s America PS, if you haven’t caught on yet BIG DEM)
So if you’re not searching for you then what are you searching for? I’m searching for a larger purpose. I know who I am and I like what I do (especially after switching organizations, see last week’s blog — CLICK HERE for it), but I’m searching for that one thing — whether it be embracing my current job more or photography or travel or whatever that adds further sustenance to who I am.
I’m biased, but I think I’m pretty great, but I can always be better. Never stop learning is what I’ve been taught my whole life and I think that applies to growing too — never stop growing, never stop getting better.
And never stop challenging yourself — just picking the appropriate cell phone plan for this program has been challenging, so I can only imagine what challenges are ahead, but I’ve got to lean in and carry on (yes I realize I took two phrases and combined them — I think it sounds better, see know it all 😊).
I try every day to live my life motto — GO BIG or GO HOME. (hint: I don’t go home very often)
So in whatever you do and whatever makes you, you and whatever gives you purpose don’t stop asking yourself why? Put yourself in the mindset of a 2-year old. And when you do find what gives you purpose do what my good friend Emily always says “Don’t stop, get it, get it”.
Onward my friends.
Next week I’ll be jumping into the more practical side of Remote Year — how do you apply? What does that whole process entail?
