Take the Road Less Traveled

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I––

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

—Robert Frost (from The Road Not Taken)

We’re sharing another lesson from Ella’s book, Pawsitive Perspectives, to remind you to follow the path that’s right for you rather than worrying about what’s expected.

Ella

I wasn’t your typical dog, and I didn’t do things the same way as other dogs. I liked to take the road less traveled. I was clear about what I loved to do and made sure Mom knew what I wanted. When we went for walks, I would often pull in the direction that would result in a longer outing. On hikes, I liked to explore areas where I could climb on the rocks and sniff out critters. I taught Mala to do that, too, when she came into our family. She was an even better rock climber than me! I was surprised by some of the places she could get.

When we first met, Mom worked for a big company in a job that I’m sure was important but didn’t make her happy. After she survived the heart attack she started thinking about changing paths. Mom was caught up in society’s expectations of her—she thought that having a high-paying job and a mortgage were the symbols of her success.

Lucky for both of us, her near-death experience opened her eyes to the fact that she wasn’t living her purpose. She was simply going through the motions. Mom was on the road expected of her, but it wasn’t fulfilling. Mom worked in Human Resources, which is what she had gone to college for, so she wasn’t sure what else to do. All I knew was that she shouldn’t be working so many hours. That prevented us from being able to go on as many adventures as we both desired.

Mom started taking classes in nutrition, health coaching, and yoga. Eventually, she was certified to start coaching people and teaching yoga. She was still working full-time in her other job when she started her own business. Mom wasn’t sure she could make enough money teaching yoga and helping people get healthy to keep a roof over our heads and food in our bowls, but she sure was happier when she was working on her own business.

Mom finally got to a place where she was able to go part-time at her HR job. About a year after that, she finally left the corporate job to focus full-time on running her own company. She still got stressed from time to time, but at least she got the satisfaction of doing something she felt made a difference in the lives of others.

In life, you could do the things that are going to earn you money or prestige, but if those things don’t allow you to share your unique gifts, then is it really worth it? There’s only one of you, and the world needs the special gift only you have. So, ask yourself, what makes the time fly by when you’re doing it? What brings you joy? Is there something that others need that overlaps with what you love doing? If so, maybe give it a shot. It might be a different path than the one you’re currently on, or from what others expect you to do, but why spend your life on the road that isn’t for you?