Taking the road less traveled is not a bad thing.

Changing the course of your life on a day’s notice is not something to be frowned upon. Living life the “non-traditional” way is not something to be feared. It’s these deviations from “normal” society that help create a new “normal,” or a new traditional lifestyle.

Our society tells us that the only way to succeed in life is the pre-established way: graduate high school, go to college, get a job, start a family, and grow old. It’s expected out of everyone to follow the same path and live versions of the same life. It’s unreasonable and close-minded to attempt to “breed” the youth into believing that there is one way to life.

One of the best aspects of having a conscious mind is the ability to change the course of our lives with one single decision. Everyone has the ability to quit their job for one they actually enjoy. Yet, people are often hesitant to make these decisions, mainly because they are not considered “normal.”

But what is normal? Who has the right to decide what’s acceptable or not? Why can’t we just live our lives in the way that makes us happy?

Things are the way they always have been. People are afraid of change. It’s not that taking a nontraditional route to success is a disgrace, but it’s different than what we are used to. There are a million ways to reach the goals that we all aspire to achieve, and since we all have different end in sight, it’s impossible for everyone to take the same road and make the same decisions.

It seems that living life just to be happy is an abstract concept to our society. We are taught to see success through material belongings – not joy or happiness. Decisions are made for the benefit of our future selves or our future families, but rarely are our present selves taken into consideration. We do things not to further our own self-enjoyment, but to instead provide for people who are not ourselves. We live to please and provide for others rather than doing something because it would make us happy.

The world we live in is a strange one. The fear that surrounds individuality in our society is unfathomable. It’s up to us to stand up and do something to change our lives for the better, and to do something simply because we think it will benefit ourselves, regardless of its normality.

It’s not easy to walk the road less traveled; however, doing so will lead to a life filled with more satisfaction, regardless of if it’s “normal” or not. Live to be happy, and don’t live to get by.