The Barbie Effect
Written By : Grace Weidenhamer
I’m like Barbie—switching professions and identities as easily as changing outfits. One day I’m Astronaut Barbie, the next I’m Cowgirl Barbie.
I’ve never had one life goal. More like different life paths. I want to be a girl-boss entrepreneur, live on a farm and live off the land, become a travel vlogger and see the world, be an academic, a wedding planner and about a dozen other things.
For most of my life, it’s felt like an identity crisis—never fitting into just one mold. I wasn’t the kid who knew they wanted to be a doctor, I didn’t take the family business route, and even college was a mix of constant major changes, random minors that sounded fun, and experiences I said yes to on a whim.
Instead of making vertical progress - climbing the ladder - I’ve always leaned more into horizontal progress: exploring, experimenting, and trying new things. My hobbies and the way I spend my free time follow this structure too. Sometimes I’m into yoga, other times I’m into running. I’ve tried painting, cake decorating, upcycling, and sourdough making... you name it!
Part of me is frustrated because why can’t I do it all? Why can’t I experience every version of myself that’s out there? Part of me believes I truly can live out all of these alternate realities, or some version of it.
Society sets us up with a structured path: choose a lane, stay in it, reach the destination. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but not everyone’s roadmap looks the same. Some of us take detours, loop back to the start, or find our path merging with another.
And, honestly? I don’t think “doing it all” is out of the question. With a little determination, and a whole lot of delusion, I think we can experience every version of ourselves in some capacity.
Maybe I’ll never live out of an RV and travel the American countryside, but I can prioritize travel over other material purchases. Maybe quitting my job in pursuit of becoming a full-time content creator isn’t in the cards yet, but I can spend my free time making videos and enjoying the process. If I want to make a career switch, what’s stopping me? Worst-case-scenario is I change my mind and realize this isn’t what I want. What will I do then? Pursue another interest that my heart desires.
At the end of the day, maybe Barbie had it right. Who says we can’t be Dentist Barbie, Dolphin Trainer Barbie, and Pastry Chef Barbie—all in one lifetime?