Chasing Happiness

What’s the point in life if you’re not happy?

That’s the question I’ve been asking myself lately. I’ve worked so hard to get where I am—finishing school, starting a career in accounting, and stepping into a path that on paper looks perfect. But here’s the truth: it’s not mine. Somewhere along the way, I realized I wasn’t living for me—I was living for my dad. I became an accountant just like him because I didn’t want to let him down. He worked tirelessly to give me an amazing life, and I thought following in his footsteps was the best way to honor that.

And in many ways, it was. But I can’t ignore the reality: I’m about to start a job that will demand 60+ hours a week of my life. Do I really want to do that for the next 40 years? The answer is a loud and clear no.

What do I want instead? I want freedom. I want to travel the world and experience everything it has to offer. I want to meet strangers who turn into friends, make memories in unexpected places, and explore cultures beyond my own. I want to taste foods I’ve never heard of and wake up in cities that don’t feel familiar.

But with only five weeks of vacation a year? That’s not enough. That’s not living—at least not the way I dream of living.

So what now?

I’m giving myself a year. A year to see how I feel in this job. A year to save as much money as I can. And if after that year I still feel like I’m suffocating in a life that isn’t mine, I’m gone. I’ll find a way to work remotely, to build a life that lets me see the world without waiting until I’m 65.

Because I don’t want to wait. I don’t want to look back one day and realize I lived a life that wasn’t mine. Happiness isn’t something I’m willing to postpone.

This is my wake-up call—and maybe yours too. If you’re reading this and feeling the same pull, maybe it’s time we stop living for what’s expected of us and start living for what sets our souls on fire.

Here’s to chasing freedom, one brave choice at a time. ✈️✨