If you know me, then you probably know I can be a little random and, some would say, obsessed with dogs and animals.

There are two extremes that I’ve come to find in my own family in relation to my dog obsession-there is the one mindset who seems to believe I should be so extreme that ever wanting a human significant other is a crazy idea, and then there is the mindset that I am so weird and crazy and why can’t I be interested in “normal” things like American Football or Baseball (by the way, I personally find both of these sports inanely dull and mean no disrespect to those who enjoy them, though I do love yoga and am fascinated by martial arts).

I’m learning to keep around the people who accept, appreciate, and love me for who I am, and to keep polite but distant interactions with those who show disdain and mock my interests (to my face and behind my back-yes, this includes some of my own immediate family like my cousins, uncle, and brother. It is hard to not let it bother me, but I’m learning).

Well, I went to talk to a Business Plan Adviser and had shown him my two very rough drafts (mind you, very very rough drafts-like my thoughts scribbled in a word document) of my Photography Business Plan and my Professional Pet Blog Business Plan. The advice I received was “You should really focus all of your effort on the Photography one-the other one is more ethereal.” And we didn’t even look at the Blog Business Plan during the appointment. I was more than a little taken aback and found it very ironic to hear this feedback, because the Blog Plan had more definitive goals and steps outlined than the Photography one did.

My thoughts? “You know what, it is totally feasible. And not only that, but countless other people have done it and are doing it right now. And though I may not show this to you again, I am definitely not giving up on this idea or plan.”

I’ve heard of too many people who get stuck doing something that they do not enjoy and only once they are unhappy to the point of breaking (sometimes years go by) do they make a change. And sometimes people don’t make a change or try to make a change but fail, things never get better, and it actually becomes a downward spiral from there (I will be delving more into this topic on another blog post).

I may be young, but I have faced a number of trials in my years that many aren’t forced to face until much later (i.e. One of my uncles just died and his oldest child having to go through that loss is 33 years old. [Sidenote-I’ll be going out of internet and cell phone service reception tomorrow for the weekend because I’m going to spread my uncle’s ashes with my family.]  I’m 23 and have already lost and buried both of my parents-It sucks more than I can say, and I often wish they were here so I could ask their advice, but it’s helped make me who I am and because I realize that the past can’t be changed no matter how much one may wish it). It took awhile, but that’s probably what’s made me have to become resilient. It was either that or let life kick me when I was down and keep kicking. I finally decided to stand up and move out of the way of the kicker.

And you know what? Had I chosen to listen to those who aimed to crush my dreams and quell who I am, I would have been too afraid to consider-let alone start-Pet Blogging or pursue anything animal related. I would have put on a mask and pursued something non-animal related. It takes a lot of courage to go against what people expect and say you should do, but I’m so glad I’m realizing that now instead of looking back and wondering where did my life go and am I really happy with what I’ve done and where I’ve been?

If you want to be an Astronaut or a Hip Hop Dancer or open your own bakery or be one of the corpses in the TV shows or travel for a living or be a dog blogger or be a wild animal trainer, don’t let anyone tell you you can’t. If you really want it, you’ll make it happen or find a way to make it happen.

Live Life to the Fullest,