In the search for personal fulfilment, it’s common to find ourselves on a path that, although may seem right from the outside, doesn’t resonate with our essence. This is my story of how I stepped out of my comfort zone and achieved inner peace by consciously choosing to follow my own path.
From diligent girl to frustrated intern
From a young age, I was always the girl who followed the rules, got good grades, and stayed away from trouble. The most “rebellious” thing I did as a teenager was deciding I wanted to join the Opus Dei. Thank God, figuratively and literally, my parents asked me to go to university before making that decision. Even in university, even though my grades weren’t outstanding, and I did go out on weekends, I generally followed the rules.
After years of studying in Spain and then in London, I secured an internship in the latter city related to what I had studied. I had done everything right; I should’ve felt happy and fulfilled. However, I felt empty, disconnected from myself, and wondered why.
From social pressure to individual liberation
Part of this emptiness comes from conflicts we can’t resolve in our childhood. Through therapy, meditation, and a lot of self-work, we can begin to understand and heal this wound. However, another important part is from societal pressure and external expectations, pushing us onto a predetermined path that we haven’t chosen ourselves but follow anyway because it’s what’s expected of us.
After this “awakening” and detachment from external expectations, I made the decision to follow my dream and travel to Taiwan. To finance my adventure, I went into the working world and, to my surprise, found more satisfaction in a café serving coffees than in the office. I gained confidence in myself and understood what being part of something bigger meant for me. This small “detour” provided me with financial stability, and I learned the importance of creating our own support network (the family we choose), and maintaining a balance between work and personal life.
From inner peace and clarity to reality
After two years, I bought my ticket to Taiwan. When I arrived, I couldn’t believe it. Honestly, I felt so much freedom that I was overwhelmed for the first few days. Despite the risk of sounding like a millennial cliché, Taiwan became a place where I could explore, grow, and find myself, free from any external input. On an island where nobody knew me, didn’t speak my language, and where I had to understand another culture and ways of doing things, I discovered my ability to make decisions aligned with myself and no one else.
The result of this journey wasn’t just inner peace but also the realization that, despite external pressures and other voices, I have the ability to make my own decisions and follow my own path. Life isn’t always perfect, and we don’t have to travel anywhere to discover this. In fact, I returned from Taiwan, and until this year, I’ve been working in cafés, only to realize that maybe it’s not the right job for this moment in my life. The difference is that this decision doesn’t come from overwhelm or emptiness but from aligning with myself and wanting a change.
Beyond conformity: Follow Your Path
Discovering and following our own path in a world full of social expectations can be a challenge, but it’s also an act of courage, authenticity, and self-love. It’s normal to feel the pressure to meet others’ expectations, whether in terms of career, relationships, or lifestyle. However, the first step towards personal fulfilment is recognising that we have the power to choose how to live our lives.
The key is self-exploration and connection with ourselves. What has worked for me, even before travelling, is taking the time to reflect on my values, passions, and goals. Learning to distinguish what I really want from what society expects of me. Sometimes, the less-traveled path is the one that suits best our needs and happiness.
Finding our own path is an ongoing process. It won’t always be freedom and happiness, but it won’t always be loneliness and confusion either. There’s no need to fear going in a different direction to the conventional. As we evolve, our goals and priorities can also change. Keep an open mind, trust your intuition, and keep moving forward. By following our own path, we can discover a deeper and more authentic sense in every step we take.
Conclusion: Following my own path to inner peace
My experience in following my own path from Spain to London and then Taiwan has been a valuable lesson. I’ve learned that sometimes we need to free ourselves from external expectations and seek authenticity, even if it means challenging ourselves and those around us. Following my own path provided me with many tools in the form of knowledge, numerous adventures and stories and, above all, inner peace.