Here I come.

I'm not really the type of person that stresses easily, but lately, two words have been getting the best of me. My future. These words have been plaguing my thoughts as I've let my mind wander to December 11th, when my current AmeriCorps position ends. Question upon question fills my head, and once the first one is asked, the rest inevitably follow. What will I do next? Is it time for a real job? What does that even look like? Grad school? Do I want to delay life a little longer by traveling, etc.? What city do I want to live in? Should I stay in New Orleans? Move closer to family? I've always loved Chicago and Denver...? Maybe somewhere completely new? What about money? What am I doing with my life?

AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

It's driving me crazy. And it needs to stop.

In the past, my outlook on life was to appreciate the moment and get everything out of it that you can. If you do this, not only will you often times be surprised by what you find, but opportunities tend to present themselves that you wouldn't have found anywhere else. Before this year, I pretty much just hung on for the ride; doing my best to enjoy every turn, loop, rise and fall along the way. Recently, I seemed to have strayed from that, but I'm going back.

Although scary, this is an amazing time in my life. I should be excited to see what is to come next, instead of fearing the search. I know I will forever look back and appreciate all the experiences I've had and the steps I'm taking to ensure I'm doing what I love.

This weekend, I had the opportunity to go Destin, FL and camp on the beach with some friends. While walking by the water yesterday, my mind got pulled into the motion of the waves and immediately kicked in with the questions of my future. Suddenly, I stopped myself. The fear of the future was getting in my way of appreciating where I was; on a three-day weekend, at a BEAUTIFUL beach, with amazing people and a Corona in my hand. I realized all my stress was ridiculous. I'm only 23 (almost 24) and my life is great right now. That's all I need.

Although difficult, it's time to let go of the questions, to let go of the stress, and to let go of that nagging fear. And instead, continue to appreciate now and start looking forward to what's ahead.

So future, Here I come.