My true dream career is to become a Creative Fine Arts/Music Director of a talent agency. If I were given the chance to pursue my passion in the arts/music, I would do it. All my life, people told me to go the standard route and get a job in the healthcare field because it is blooming in the economy. However, deep inside I always felt the gut feeling that I was meant to be more than just a dietitian, a nurse, a pharmacist, a dentist, optometrist, or doctor (all of which I considered seriously and honestly believe to be excellent professions). I’ve waited all my life for someone or something to inspire me to be inspired or be the inspiration. I think someone up above is steering me in a different path than I expected but am not surprised by.
There’s that classic line we’ve all come across at certain (or, in some cases, many) points in our life: “Find out what your passion is and commit to that your whole life!”
I started reading novels again this year. The first one I picked up was “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom. You may also be familiar with his work “The Five People You Meet in Heaven.” Moving forward, Albom’s old college professor gave him priceless advice. My favorite is this:
“Devout yourself to creating something with purpose and meaning.”
Other advice was to love yourself more and love others more also. The above quote is my favorite. It changed my pessimistic attitude and planted hope in my heart.
This has happened in the course of less than two months. What happened? My journey to self-renovation.
Conan O’ Brien shared a wonderful piece of advice at the graduation ceremony at Dartmouth for the class of 2011. He said the following:
“"It is our failure to become our perceived ideal, that ultimately defines us and makes us unique. It is not easy, but if you accept your misfortune and handle it right, Your perceived failure can become a catalyst for profound reinvention."
After I graduated from the first chapter of my college career, I thought I was a complete failure. I was not earning a salary of 5-6 digits. Stubborn to not become a nurse or pharmacist, I followed my passions for nutrition, health and wellness because my family has a spotted history of cardiovascular issues and skin conditions. I resisted because a huge part of me knew that I was meant for something greater.
I read stories about many post-graduates and how some of them just do the same old job for the rest of their lives and become unhappy. How huge of a stepping stone was that college degree? Were the hundreds and hundreds of dollars spent on tuition meant to be invested in a larger dream/purpose? I became more aware of this truth but did not take it fully to heart until I faced failure myself.
I became depressed this year because I was lost. My plans for a career in nutrition was falling and hit a huge pit. I was barely surviving doing non-profit work even though I loved the work. I moved away from Austin and came back to Houston for financial reasons. I was separated from so many loved ones who were a major part of my college life. But, I knew the day would come. I just didn’t expect to feel the severity of it quickly after I moved.
Fast forward to today, I have become inspired to be a better person. I want to become an A+ caliber person. In order to be truly happy, I discovered that I needed to improve some parts of me: Be less irritable, invest time in others more, forgive more, and take care of yourself (physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially).
Although I am essentially the same person, at the same time, I feel changed for the better. My dreams in music and art are sprouting and picking up pace. I’ve learned how to combat stress and the major difficulties in life (such as post-graduate depression). I’ve become stronger.
As an addendum, I want to close with a few words that I came across while jogging on a trail beside the student community/neighborhood of my old college:
“Never give up.”
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