It’s Okay Not to Have It All Figured Out (But Keep Moving)

You know those moments when it feels like everyone else has their life together? Someone just got into her dream school, another friend started a small business, and there’s that one girl who already knows she wants to be a doctor or an influencer, and she’s already acting like it. Meanwhile, you’re sitting there, scrolling through your phone, wondering when your own big moment will happen.

Listen, it’s okay. You don’t need to have everything figured out right now. Nobody really does, even the people who look like they’ve got it all planned out are probably still trying to make sense of things.

Growing up as a black girl comes with its own kind of pressure. You’re expected to be smart, respectful, ambitious, and somehow have a ten-year plan before you’ve even finished secondary school. Everyone keeps asking, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”  like the answer has to be final. But life doesn’t work like that. It’s full of surprises. You’ll change your mind. You’ll discover new things. And that’s perfectly fine.

The truth is, life isn’t a straight road. It’s more like one of those bumpy roads, sometimes smooth, sometimes full of potholes, but still leading somewhere. You’ll make mistakes, take detours, and even stop for a while. All of that is part of the journey.

So if you’re confused right now, that’s normal. Confusion means you’re thinking, and thinking means you care. You don’t have to rush to figure it all out. Just don’t stop moving.

Try new things. Volunteer at school. Join a club. Learn a skill. Read more. Help out in your community. Every small step teaches you something about yourself. You might discover that you love helping people, or that you’re good at designing, or that you enjoy writing or public speaking. You won’t know until you try.

And when things don’t go as planned, when you fail a test, miss an opportunity, or feel lost, don’t give up. Every woman you admire has been exactly where you are now. They didn’t have it all together either; they just kept showing up and learning along the way.

So don’t let the pressure of “figuring it all out” steal your joy. You don’t need to have your whole future mapped out by the time you’re eighteen. You just need to keep learning, keep growing, and keep moving.

Because one day, you’ll look back and realize that every little thing, every setback, every doubt, every small step, was leading you somewhere amazing.

So chin up, sis. You’re doing just fine. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s progress. Just keep moving.