Please Note: This is a Thought From My Journal™️, which is an actual entry from my journal. It is lifted as-is from my journal without any edits, except when a sensitive detail needs to be removed or changed. This means there will be grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes. (Because who worries about that in their journal?)

I tend to not spell out the words because and with. The shorthand I use is b/c = because and w/ = with. I might swear (especially when impassioned) and I tend to put words in all caps for emphasis. Oh and I can write in run-on sentences. (Because again, no one is worrying about this in their journal.)

Also, I don't always write in full sentences in my journal. I sometimes think better in poetry format, so you might also see a free-verse style poem as my thought.

Entries are in no particular order and will vary wildly in length. The date of the published thought does not correlate with the date of the journal entry. (There, of course, might be exceptions to this rule). There are quite a few older entries, from the past few months to the past 2 years and sometimes all the way up to 5 years ago.

The thought will be written as a quote for formatting, but again it is from my actual journal. Not all of the entries are happy in case you were starting to think I was perfect. (Spoiler Alert: I'm not. I struggle and some of these entries show my Struggles and various emotions).

I wrote this within the last couple weeks.

My [family member] and my [other family member] were talking about [the first family member's] traditional 9-5 job. And how [their] job responsibilities have changed dramatically in the past few years.

And how [they] just need to hold on for 5 more years before retirement. And how [they] can do anything for 5 years (maybe to reassure [themself]).

Yes, maybe you can do anything or hold on or hang on for 5 more years. But why would you want to or more importantly why would you do that to yourself?

Because all of these ways of phrasing, it sounds downright miserable. And yes, listening to this family member, [they do] sound miserable talking about it.

I'm not saying abandon ship and quit the job immediately.

5 years is a long time to do something you don't want to do, you are forcing yourself to do and you are miserable the entire time.

Life is meant to be enjoyed, savored in each moment, not years from now.

Not to go down a morbid train of thought, but life might not be better in 5 years, it could be a lot worse than the current unpleasant reality.

It just saddens me that this family member isn't even trying to think of another solution, outside of the box or not.

That [they have] resigned [themself] to this "fate."

NO, you don't have to resign yourself to miserable days, weeks, months or 5 years!

No, no, no!

You can change your circumstances.

You can do something different.

Please don't resign yourself to your current reality.

If you want something different, if you have a crazy dream, take that first step by deciding w/ strong resolve you will go after it.

(Honestly, I have tears in my eyes b/c I have experienced all of this).

I don't want the same fate for you.

If your belief is weak, please borrow mine.

I believe in you.