Silva - Launch your life: a guide to growing up for the almost grown up

2013 by Thomas Nelson

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Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION. 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from THE ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION. 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

ISBN: 978-1-4185-5011-0

Printed in China

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CONTENTS

Lease Agreement Questionnaire

Buy or Rent Questionnaire

Apartment Rental Checklist

17 Twenty-Five Things

Notes

Calendar

At twenty-three, just two days after I quit a high pressure job in fashion, I found myself sobbing with my head on my mothers lap. I cried for everything: the time I wasted; the friends I lost; the money I squandered; the terrible, horrible pressure to be rich, successful, and just plain perfect. As my mom sat with me, running her fingers through my hair while I had a good, ugly, snotty cry, she said something that changed my life forever:

Well... you can always move home, and we can get you a dog.

At that moment, all of the blood rushed out of my face. I stopped crying, stood up, and vowed to start working on a new resume right away... well, after I stress-ate an entire block of cheese. You see, in my twentysomething world, giving up, packing it in, accepting defeat, and moving back in with my parents was not an option, and it certainly wasnt the solution to my problems.

As I traversed lifes twists and turns, it became clear to me that the struggles I had experienced in my life and in my career stemmed from the fact that I had done it all wrong. My priorities were all out of whack. I wanted to be happy, and I thought I could achieve happiness by landing a job, making good money, and keeping busy. The problem is, too often, we forget ourselves as we struggle to meet the requirements. You see, launching your life is not just about going through the motions, filling out paperwork, signing contracts, endlessly searching for a job that just barely pays the bills, and then chaining yourself to a desk in a cubicle; its about building a life that you love living.

Unlike many self-help books for twentysomethings that hone in on finding a job and achieving success in your career, Launch Your Life helps you view the entire picture, allowing you to deal with everything from setting a budget, finding a home, and selecting a church to dealing with changing relationships, and finding a fantastic job that suits this happier, healthier version of you.

During this challenging time, this book is here for you. Pop it in your purse or briefcase; toss it in your car; carry it with you on the subway; bring it to meetings and interviews; and carry it with you while you hunt for a new home. When you find yourself wondering what the heck you are doing, crack the book open, grab a cup of coffee, and let us talk you through it.

Launch Your Life is my gift to you, dear reader. I wish nothing more for you than happiness, health, and successbut the right kind of success: the kind that fills your heart, and makes you excited to get up every morning. Sure, you may have moments when you want to stress-eat some cheese, but thats okay. Just make sure you keep calm, and keep moving toward the happy, successful life you know you deserve. It sure beats giving up, moving home, and letting your mom buy you a dog.

Alee Anderson

Editor

Thomas Nelson Publishers

WHO YOU ARE AND WHY THAT MATTERS

When I was twenty-three years old, I was convinced I was going to be a famous guitar player. I had just graduated from Berklee College of Music, and I was primed to be the next guitar hotshot on the country music scene. Armed with a shiny new bachelors degree in professional music, I decided to take a giant leap of faith and make the move from Boston to Nashville to chase my dream of being a rock star.

When I got to Nashville, I hit the ground running. I started spending every night in and out of every music venue on Broadway, getting to know the local musicians and looking for work. Unfortunately for me, I was a rookie guitar slinger in a town full of seasoned pros. Weeks turned into months and I found my savings rapidly running dry. I had to bite the bullet and start looking for a real job.

What followed were a couple of dark months for me. In my mind, the entire purpose of my existence was placed squarely in my ability to play music professionally, and when I couldnt find a gig right away, my self-worth took a severe beating. My entire sense of identity was rocked to the core. At the end of the day, I was left standing in front of the mirror asking myself this question: If Im not a professional guitar player, then who am I?

WHO AM I?

If I had to take one topic from this book and expand it into its own separate work, it would be this concept of identity. Everything we do flows from it. From the way you approach new opportunities to the way you interact with family and friends, your life will be lived in light of the person you believe yourself to be. If you dont embrace this fundamental truth, you will inevitably find yourself feeling stuck.

I dont think I have to tell you that life will take you down some unexpected roads. Circumstances and situations will challenge the way you experience the world around you. When this happens, you can either fold or you can stand. The individual who knows his intrinsic worth and identity in Christ, as revealed in Gods Word, will be able to withstand the storms of life. The one who doesnt understand her unshakable identity in Christ will end up walking down a road similar to the one I described. My journey was difficult, but it has given me a healthy perspective on the subject. Im praying you will be able to learn from my mistakes.

Im not the only one.

Its incredibly easy to spend your college years chasing a particular specialty or vocation and to allow it to creep in and become your identity. I studied guitar. Therefore, I was a guitarist, as if the word guitarist could ever be an all-encompassing definition of the entirety of a human being. The problem is that when were in school, we dont spend too much time questioning who we are. At any given moment, our context provides us with a ready-made answer. Think about the last time you described yourself at a get-together. Did any of your statements sound something like this?