I am currently working on a mini career autobiography for the first meeting with my new career coach. It is supposed to be a narrative about my life and career history. I sat down to start it tonight and got completely off track. Nevertheless, I am somewhat amused by what came out. I will give it another go tomorrow night and try to write a more concise career history. Here is what I came up with tonight. Enjoy!
I have always been a dreamer, from the moment I remember I had grand ideas of what my future would hold. I was going to travel around the world, I was going to be a doctor, a lawyer, an author, in the Olympics. I was going to have amazing friends and throw legendary dinner parties, all while saving the world. I was going to live the most exciting and meaningful life ever…however, I never quite figured out how I was going to get there. This stems partly from my personality (my nature); I am a visionary, a big picture kind of person, which can be an asset and a liability. In addition, it stems from my generation (nurture) Women in my generation are the daughters of second wave feminists. Even if our mothers themselves didn’t burn their bras or march for women’s rights, the teachings and lessons from the second wave had saturated our culture and way of life by the time my friends and I reached age five. This is a good thing, right? I mean, we grew up hearing that women were just as strong and smart as men, we learned about famous women in history, we were told we were capable of anything and everything. Yes, this was a good thing and something I am extremely grateful for. Women in my generation (and the generation before me) have accomplished amazing things that were never possible or acceptable for our mothers or grandmothers.
That being said, the “you can be whatever you want to be” mentality has it flaws. First of all, the pressure is excruciating. I can be whatever I want to be…ok, but there are so many options and possibilities, what if I choose the wrong one? What if I truly cant be anything I want to be due to my circumstances, does that mean I have failed? Second, although we were told that the sky was the limit I never felt I was provided the direction or guidance on how to become my ideal self. Over and over again I heard “go to college,” as if that was the golden ticket to my dreams. Well I have gone to college, seven years of it, and I am more confused than ever. Finally, we were told that as women we are equal to men; however, that is not necessarily the truth. Even if our employers are completely just and fair, there is pressure from modern advertising and media to be perfect, domestically, mentally, and physically. Not to mention the innate differences between the ways male and female children were raised and taught, even though we were bombarded by woman-power, "Girls Rock!" idealism.
If I had continued like this my mini autobiography may have turned into a manifesto. So I decided to stop and try again tomorrow. Maybe a manifesto is what I need, but I'm too tired for that tonight:)
If I had continued like this my mini autobiography may have turned into a manifesto. So I decided to stop and try again tomorrow. Maybe a manifesto is what I need, but I'm too tired for that tonight:)
