Week 10 - Work

There are some things that happen in life that just seem to stick with you. One of those things for me was the way my aunt talked about her job throughout my lifetime. I can't ever remember a time when she spoke positively of her job. She is a fun, energetic person in general, but whenever she talked about work, it seemed to drain the life out of her. I recognized this at an early age and made up my mind then that though there were many ways I wanted to grow up to be like my aunt, I would NEVER work in a job that I hated... NEVER!

I feel like I have finally found my place in my current job. I am challenged each day and feel a greater sense of purpose in my work and in the relationships that I am able to build. It was not an easy journey to get to this place, but it was one that I would not trade for anything.

My twenties have been sprinkled with many different jobs in several different fields of work, but in all of my transitions, I am proud to say that I have not waivered from the commitment I made to myself so long ago. I have always been sure to have a source of income, though I've had to be quite creative at times. I decided I did not want to start my 'career' and get locked into a job until I discovered and truly understood what I was passionate about and what I was best at. So, throughout my 20's I taught 2nd grade, 7th grade and 8th grade, science, math, language arts, and project based outdoor education. I started a non-profit organization for education in Philly, managed a radio program, waitressed, taught in urban, suburban and rural schools, and coached varsity, JV, AAU (travelling team), and middle school basketball. I have learned that searching for a passion and fulfilling a dream is not widely accepted or appreciated in society. My journey was not the typical one for most college graduates and thus, was met with great opposition from many of my family members and friends.

I find that the longer I am in the same job, the more comfortable it gets and the easier it is to fear change. I am inspired by Tom's story on page 302. It is so easy to forget that life is an ongoing endeavor. There should never be a time when we have reached the end. I hope that I will continue to take on new challenges and follow my passions every day that I live, forgetting the norms of society and restraints of time. I hope too, that I am able to teach clients how to find joy in their work and how to responsibly take risks to live out passionate, meaningful lives through their jobs.

Corey,G.,& Corey, M.S. (2010). I never knew I had a choice: Explorations in personal growth. (9th ed.). Belmont, California: Brooks/Cole.