I love...growing up.

When I was little I wanted to grow up to be a Barbie.

I loved my Barbies with their perfect make-up, their clothes, their accessories, their constant 90 degree-angle arms…but I digress. I wasn’t sure exactly what “growing up” meant or when I had to do it by, but I was sure that adult-Jenny would love to grow up to be a Barbie.

Somewhere between then and now I started to grow up. I went to college, made great friends, moved out on my own, got a job and then another job, and I continued to ask myself what I wanted to be when I grew up.

But with all the concern around figuring out what to be when you grow up, maybe there's a second question that we're supposed to be asking ourselves along the way: What do I want to be while I grow up?

Sure, it's important to find a goal in life. But what will you be while you're working towards it?

Will you be kind?

Will you be funny?

Will you fall down?

Will you get back up?

Will you love?

Sound like simple questions? Maybe they're supposed to be.

So as I continue “growing up” I’m going to enjoy what I’m doing along the way.
My own wish list? Well, I want to be kind, I want to be funny, and when I fall down I want to get back up. I want to be giving, I want to be calm and I want to love. I want to be understanding, I want to be goofy and I want to be honest. I want to be Jenny.

And maybe, every once in awhile, I'll still check the job boards for a position listed under: "Barbie". I can be "Happy Barbie" or "Jenny Barbie". I'll practice holding my arms at 90 degree angles, just in case.