npr.org: You've said that the matter of what we should do with our lives is "the most obvious and universal question on our plates as human beings." After interviewing hundreds of people, how would you say most of us address what you call The Question -- do we do a pretty good job of meeting it head on, flounder hopelessly, avoid it with a vengeance?

Bronson: Most attempt to answer it with one eye open, one eye closed. We let our fears govern our decisions; rather than challenging the validity of those fears, we accept the boundaries set by those fears, and end up confining our search to a narrow range of possibilities, like the guy looking for his car keys under the streetlight because he’s afraid of the dark. Some broad examples: we confine ourselves to a range that is acceptable to our parents or our spouse; we confine ourselves to places inhabited only by people "like us," meaning of our class and education level; we place too much emphasis on being respected by an imaginary audience; we shy away from avocations that take a long time to mature and pay off.

i've been quoting a lot again, i know. maybe because it's the new year, i seem to be reading quite a bit about time and how we choose to spend it. this quote really hit me: i know that when i was in north carolina i felt just really RIGHT. i loved my job. it was so satisfying to me and had much of what i desired - i got to be outside, felt as if i were doing something meaningful, met some wonderful people. but logic keeps me from thinking it was really 'right'. i was living on the other side of the country. i was making $200 a week, which was actually less than minimum wage if you worked it out hour-wise. it isn't acceptable to my dad, though he would never say that to me. but i just don't seem to dseire to be the person i feel as if i am expected to be. yet, when i feel as if i am 'myself' there is something that nags me about not living up to expectations, making the wrong choices, being frivilous about my life...who am i fooling? who can live making $200 a week, no matter how rewarding the job is.

considering i've had headaches and felt totally discombobulated since i have been 'home', i feel like my body is trying to tell me something. the question is WHAT. is it the fear of losing what i have? the fear of change? the knowing what i'll have to give up if i change?

anyways, the article/story from npr that corresponds with the quote above is excellent. there is also an excerpt from the book written by po bronson, 'what should i do with my life?'.read. enjoy. think. :)