Your Path is Your Own

Greetings, Spiritual Soldiers,

It’s often said to us as children—either directly or indirectly—that we must follow a specific path. Sometimes it’s because of our circumstances, other times it’s family influence, or even peer pressure from friends. If you really think about it, from the moment we’re born, our parents begin to form ideas in their minds about the kind of life we should live—who we’ll marry, what job we’ll have, and what success should look like. Most of the time, this comes from a place of love and wanting us to have a better life than they did.

But as we grow, the world around us starts to shape us. Our environment influences the decisions we make, and the people we surround ourselves with—friends, mentors, coworkers—begin to project their own visions onto us. Then comes the pressure of adulthood. We get jobs and suddenly we’re defined by how much we earn or the validation we receive. We start chasing praise instead of purpose.

So I have to ask… at what point do you decide to follow your own mind? When you wake up in the morning, what truly motivates you? When you’re at work, do you feel fulfilled? And in your relationships—family, friends, partners—are they pouring into you the same way you pour into them?

These are the kinds of questions that lead us back to ourselves. For a long time, I felt like I had to stay in survival mode—go to school, get a degree, find a “stable” career, work for the paycheck rather than the passion. And anytime I even thought about stepping off that so-called stable path, I felt like I’d be judged, like I’d fail, or struggle more than I already was.

But then it hit me: to be truly happy, I have to trust myself. Trust that my intuition, my passions, and my decisions will guide me in the direction of joy. One story I always go back to is from my first semester of college. I started off saying I wanted to be a veterinarian—because I loved animals, yes, but also because it sounded like a stable, respectable career. Still, no matter how hard I tried, I was barely passing my classes. Then one day, my cousin called and asked how I was doing… and I broke down. I was standing outside my dorm in the grass, phone to my ear, sobbing.

That moment changed everything. I realized I was chasing someone else’s version of success. I wasn’t honoring the things that truly lit me up—art, social justice, community healing. So I switched my major. And that choice marked the beginning of me choosing me. Choosing what made me happy instead of living to meet everyone else’s expectations.

So now I ask you… are you living a life that others want for you, or are you following a path that you chose?

With Love & Peace,

Rayne