It was always interesting to me all of the future dream jobs kids would have when they were in kindergarten and by the end of the school year, they would have completely different aspirations. As the months turned into years, those dreams evolved with the person that was growing up; physically, mentally, and emotionally.

What boggled my mind is that the law says you’re an adult at 18 and yet your brain doesn’t stop developing until you’re 25 or so. Then you’re expected to take on at least 100 grand worth of student loans and debt out and have no idea how you will repay it in pursuit of your dream job. But what happens to you in those 7 years, between 18 and 25? A lot happens, to answer your question.

As I approach my 23rd birthday coming up on February 6th, I have changed my mind on a dream career twice and I have been through countless amounts of career paths since I was 16 years old. Not to mention the fact that I won’t fully develop for two more years and you’re telling that 18 year old that they need to have life all figured out? News flash! It’s okay not to know what you’re doing, where you want to go, what you want to be, who you want to be with.

As your life continues, you can change what you want to do/be to align with who you are. Just because you went to college to be a registered nurse and you do that for a few years, doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind and go back to school to pursue something that you are more passionate about.

As for me, I have 45 credits, one whole year into my paralegal degree and it took me performing that job for a boss I detested for me to realize that wasn’t the career path that I was meant to have. Since then, I have worked in the grocery business, the financial world, a shipyard for the Navy, mental health industry, legal services, medical records, a hardware store, collections, and now behavioral health. Without these experiences, I would have no idea what I wanted to do or know what I wanted to be.

As a kid, I wanted to be a librarian, then a judge, then an office person, a mental health counselor, a designated crisis responder, a paralegal, and now a social worker. I have ticked off a lot of boxes on my list. But the moral of the story is that it’s okay to change along with your dreams and aspirations. As you grow up and change, everything about you should too, hopefully for the better.

Allow yourself patience and kindness when approaching new changes and adversities because it’s the kind things that stick with you to improve yourself whereas the negative self talk turns you into a negative person.

Thoughts of the day…

Much love,

Dani