Starting the next decade

It didn't seem too long ago when we all celebrated our 21st birthday. The milestone where we became legal to do the last few things that were barred from us (e.g. watching a R21 rated movie). Suddenly the world seem like a wonderful place filled with so many opportunities and adventure! I do remember feeling an immense sense of hope that I will have an exciting life ahead of me.

Fast forward to 9 years later. I'm no longer the youngest in the working world. My eyes are no longer gleaming with hope of the impossible. The mind is much matured and sensible. And the heart steadied.

I may not have married as young as I set out to be. But in the world where more and more working adults make their job their world, and get stuck in the world of singlehood, I'm definitely glad I have found my plus one. Ticking that box off the list may provide a short sense of relief. No more questions pertaining to your partner and the knot. But it also means there are more responsibilities and pressure concerning the next stage in life - starting a family. That is another topic for another time.

I may not belong to the strawberry generation, but I definitely cannot "sit still". I'm constantly in search of the next adventure. The past decade has seen me jumping from the gift industry, to the banking world, then fashion design before jumping back into banking world. I can't envision myself following my father's footsteps - staying in the same job in the same company for over 30 years. That kind of loyalty is envious to think about but never a practical thought for me. To others, I may seem reckless, restless, and that I have my head stuck in the clouds. Reality is close, but not entirely true.

A mantra I always live by - live life without regrets. This may seem reckless but it's not. I don't simply jump when I lose interest. I stick by my choice as long as I can, and give my decision some time to prove myself right. Meanwhile whatever new idea comes along, I give myself time to think, to research and to sleep on it. If the idea sticks and never go away, I will try it. So far I don't regret the choices I made because it definitely shaped me into a very strong and unique person.

The past decade has also shown me a great variety of character. People have come into my life with hopes of staying. And with every challenge that we face, most of these people drop out behind the obstacle. With age, I think we begin to see clearly the people we spend our time with, and the people we choose to keep in our lives. Some may begin to proof unworthy. Others come dressed in glitters and feathers but when you strip all of that away, all that's left may be just bones. Time and money become a fixed variable. With that fixed variable, I became really careful of how I spend it.

I'm sure there are many more adventure that awaits me in this decade. Are they all going to be good ones? We'll have to wait and see.