I am spoiled; anyone who knows me would say that. Yet what really is the definition of "spoiled"? It is so wrong to have nice things in life? By no means am I well off. I can't afford to buy all the things I want; I certainly can't afford to live wherever I want. I have to work for a living, same as the vast majority of the population. There's no way I can afford to just relax everyday and do whatever I want; not for very long in any case. I work hard at the jobs I have, regardless of if I get to keep them or not; I do sacrifice a few extras in life to save money. Although most people I talk to would say I'm not living in reality, but instead a dream world where my mom pays for everything, I understand what I must do to get by on my own. The problem is how do I go about doing that?
It's not that easy to find jobs at the moment and with the economy the way it is; I have had extra bad luck in that area as well recently. I am continuing to look in the meantime everyday and planning on becoming a certified personal trainer soon which will provide me with a livable income. It's not going to be easy by any means to live as an independent adult, yet it will be done; for better or for worse.
I've been told by friends and family many times that the lifestyle I am accustomed to isn't going to be sustainable on only one income. I buy healthy, but somewhat pricey food, have a bad habit of going out for at least one meal every two days or so; a not-so-good idea when one's trying to save money. Having a vehicle doesn't make things cheaper, yet for me it's not optional; the transit system simply sucks.
It's bad enough to live on your own these days; living in Vancouver is even worse. Everything here, from food to gas, rent to cell phones, is so expensive. The city really isn't becoming one the average John or Jane can afford to live in. Rent is ridiculously high, even for a very small bachelor suite. How does a young person afford to live comfortably on a small income?
Yet sometimes we don't have a choice in life; rather, we have a choice but really there's only one logical option. When you are up the river without a paddle, you better damn well get out and swim. It won't be easy, there will always be things against you, but you have no choice but to swim; the alternative is to drown.
I am both pessimistic and optimistic about the change that I am going to have to adapt to in the very near future. On the one hand, I would be happy to stay at home until such a time when I have a good enough job to afford to live by my (fairly high) standards. Meanwhile, on the other, I feel like this is an opportunity to really be able to mold and shape my life into one I can both enjoy and afford. I am planning to go get certified to become a personal trainer and hopefully be good enough that I can make a proper living. The fitness industry is booming right now and apparently there are lots of jobs available if you are certified.
I know it will come as a complete shock to live by myself, and although I know it, I also know there's no way to fully prepare myself for it. I might have to make a few changes in my life, and maybe I'm scared about that. Deep down though, and what makes me optimistic, is that I know the only place I can go from where I currently am is up. And as I see it, the only choice you have in life is to live it; to keep moving forward everyday, being the best person you can be.
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