My friend Jenipher Lyn has released a book! Called How Being Stubborn, Depressed, and Unpopular Saved my Life, it’s an inspirational memoir that offers honest views on issues such as depression and body image, and features both writing and drawings by her. I was asked to be part of her DoodleDream Blog party, so here’s my post on this week’s topic, Ambition.

This morning, on his way out the door, S told me that, in regards to ambition, i’m here (pointing high up) whereas normal people are here (pointing mid-body level). I’m not sure if that’s true – I mean, I’m not that ambitious – but I took it as a compliment. Ambition is a huge part of who I am, and I think it started in high school.

At age 15, I wrote in my journal, quoting the sage that is Belle from Beauty and the Beast, “I want much more than this provincial life.” At that time, I just wanted more exciting things to happen to me. As I grew, I realized that I could make exciting things happen, and I didn’t need to wait around for them. And that’s when things started changing.

• I didn’t wait to find friends when I started college – I walked up to a girl in the food court and started talking to her. (We became good friends, and roommates the following year.)
• I didn’t sit in my room when I wasn’t in class or hanging out with friends – I joined the circus, a film club, and got a job.
• I didn’t know what I wanted to do in the English Literature field (which is what I was majoring in), so I got an internship at a literary journal, I freelance wrote for a local newspaper, and I started education classes.
• After college, I jumped on it some more. I had a range of jobs, but didn’t let them be the end of me. If I didn’t like them, I found something to do on the side that would make me happy. I went out with friends. I continued to freelance. I ached for more because I knew more was out there.
• And then I decided to pursue my master’s degree while working full time because – why not? And then I fell in love with library science and moved careers to pursue that (which, ultimately, was the perfect decision). And then I wrote a book while working full time, because I needed to. And i’m still doing that. I’m still working and writing and enjoying life with my husband and daughter.

The thing is, everyone has ambition, you just need to tap into it. You just need to accept more. And if things don’t work out? Who cares, you tried. Try again.

The thing is, I still don’t want a provincial life. I want an extraordinary one.

When George Mallory was asked by the New York Times why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, he famously answered “Because it’s there.” So why do I want to accomplish so much? Because I can.