Are you (always) the odd one out?
The black sheep, the one with all the feelings, the one walking the unbeaten paths while everyone else follows the main road?
As I was walking along one of the small roads of the area I am currently living in I walked across a field with sheep. And of course there was one sheep that was slightly different from the rest. Standing alongside the fence while all the others were packed together in the middle of the field.
It reminded me of my youth. Always looking at things from the side. I was never someone to be in the middle of a group. Even though I felt extremely alone on the outside at times, I didn’t want to be in the group. It just didn’t feel like I was aligned with these people around me.
When I was studying I did become part of a group, even though it felt odd at times, I felt I was part of something. With this group I went out dancing often. At those nights I was always looking for a place where I could oversee the crowd. It wasn’t because I wanted to be seen (as my friends always thought).
I always needed space to see what was happening around me.
Looking in from the outside made me feel safe.
In my working life I didn’t really fit in with the crowds either. I started my own company when I was really young and left the corporate world in my early thirties. I didn’t belong in this field where people were just working to gain money.
I wanted a life.
So I started travelling and searching for a life that suited me better. In the first period it was all about learning new things. Then it was about working in jobs that suited my new skills and even though I liked the changes, it seemed like I was always out of money. When I shared this with people who were still in my old life, they started to advise me to just get a normal life; in their minds: find a house, earn money and be ‘like us’.
What is a normal life?
They thought they had a normal life, but at that point I still didn’t know what a normal life was. Was it a life with a partner and two kids living in a house where you wouldn’t be much because you were always working and running around? Or was life about living and creating the things that really suit you?
For years I didn’t know the answer and I kept searching. I stepped back into corporate life for a while, earned a lot of money and realised (again) that this wasn’t the answer. I did live together with a partner, but was very sure about the fact that I never wanted to be a mother.
The only thing that became clear to me in these years was that I wanted to be a writer. But even in being a writer I don’t think I took the normal road. I self-published my first book and decided to keep on doing this until I published my fourth book in October last year. In all those searches I realised I am a self-starter, a creator, and most importantly I walk my own path.
Is loneliness part of the choices I’ve made?
While I was searching I have felt lonely. Because I often felt misunderstood. I have a different approach to life and people had a lot of questions about why I do things the way I do. They have judged me and questioned my decisions, but I always followed my intuition.
In the end no one knows what it is like to walk your path. We all walk our own paths, but when you take a different road than most people do, you might feel lonely at times too.
But I can assure you, there are more like-minded people out there than you think!
Are you walking your own unbeaten path?
Are you one of those people who decides to self-educate their kids, who change their faith, who leave the country they are born into, who leave their jobs to follow their hearts, who decide to give a new meaning to a love relationship. Or whatever it is you do different than your peers?
Are you going your own way? No matter the consequences?
Are you committed to your path?
And do you sometimes feel unseen or unheard in the outside world?
I invite you to get together so we can focus our energy on connecting and sharing our deepest desires for the life we want to live. With people who do understand what it is like to take the unbeaten path!
Become a member of the Craft your life community
In the online Craft your life Community you will meet people who walk the unpaved paths. For only € 8,88 per month you have the opportunity to meet twice a month during the online intuitive writing session and the online inspiration session. You can also file your questions for the monthly Q&A blog.
The first online inspiration session is on the 19th of October (16hrs Amsterdam/17hrs Greece), the first online intuitive writing session is on the 27th of October (10am Amsterdam/11am Greece).
Your first session is always free. Change your membership just before the event, the first 7 days of your subscription are free. (if this brings any trouble, please let me know and we will find a way for you to join)