Life Isn’t a Checklist (And Kacey Musgraves Taught Me That)
I’ve always believed music has a way of saying the things we’re too busy, too scared, or too polite to admit out loud. It holds up a mirror without judgment. One song that does that for me every time is “Merry Go ’Round” by Kacey Musgraves.
I’m from Tennessee, so I have a soft spot for country music, especially the kind that feels honest without being harsh. This song isn’t about criticizing anyone’s choices. It’s about questioning the invisible timelines we’re handed and the quiet pressure to fit into them.
There’s a line that says,
“If you ain’t got two kids by 21, you’re probably gonna die alone.”
And when you really sit with it, it’s not meant to be taken literally. It’s a reflection of how early and how firmly traditions and expectations get placed on us. About family. About success. About what a “complete” life is supposed to look like.
I think the same thing happens with careers. And relationships. And healing. And growth.
“Who Decided What ‘On Track’ Looks Like?”
You can have so much going for you and still feel like something is missing.
You can be proud of your progress and still wonder if you’re behind.
You can love your life and still want more from it.
And none of those things cancel each other out.
I’ve learned that comparison isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s subtle. It shows up in the quiet question of:
“Am I where I’m supposed to be?”
But then the real question becomes: who decided where that is?
I talk a lot with new grads and early-career designers, and one thing I always try to remind them is that life isn’t a checklist. It’s not linear. It’s not standardized. And it definitely isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some people find their careers early. Some people find love early. Some people find themselves later. Some people do all of it out of order. All of it is valid.
You might have 99% of what you once prayed for and still notice the 1% that feels unfinished. That doesn’t make you ungrateful. It makes you human.
“Merry Go ’Round” feels like a gentle reminder that everyone is circling something. We’re all moving, just at different speeds, toward different versions of fulfillment. And no version is more “correct” than another.
So if you’re not where you thought you’d be by now, maybe that’s not failure.
Maybe it’s just your story unfolding in its own timing.
And if you are where you wanted to be, let that be something you hold with gratitude, not guilt.
Low key: go listen to the song.
Not because it has the answers.
But because it reminds you that you’re not alone in asking the questions.
