Since a young age we are asked what we want to be when we Grow up. A fireman, a ballerina, chef , so on and so on. Again in high school we are asked what we want to be when we grow up…only this time things are getting serious. These days you have to know what you are going to be…or at least want to be as soon as you hit grade nine. Well I’m here to tell you I am 35 and the that question still looms.
When I was little I wanted to be a fireman, like my Dad. Then I wanted to be a dispatcher, like my uncle Bill. When it came down to my guidance councillor asking me flat out…I decided I wanted to go into Fire inspection at sir Sanford Fleming. Well the joke was on me because I hadn’t taken any courses I needed to apply and didn’t have the highest grades so I just gave up.
This led to me taking a ‘year off’ I worked, partied and lived in London. When it came up to my year I randomly chose banking. I mean we are always going to need banks…right?! I went to Westervelt College in London and received honours in my classes. When I was done I had an interview at RBC where I was told I would receive Minimum Wage and that the $10 000 in school I just went in debt for was useless because they train you themselves. cool. good to know. I was completely thrown off and since I was making more than minimum wage at my job then, I quickly got off the banking path. I thought I could do better…I took a job in the shipping department of a warehouse and loved it…then I got laid off. Receptionist at an electric company…then got laid off. Working at Shell and part-time as a waitress at a hometown sports bar were my only constants.
In 2008 I was hired at Toyota. Back then this was a huge deal. The money was amazing, it was hard to get hired there, the process took me a year and a half! I was making money and loving the job! 2011 comes along and so does my twins Phoenix and Declan, then in 2013 came mason and 2017 Nixon. With each passing year, and child, my dreams of ‘when I grow up’ seem further and further away. I felt like I was never going to have a passion, a real stance on what I wanted to do with my life. I was factory worker. Don’t get me wrong, I still like my job, love the money and the life isn’t for everyone (some days not even me) but I have a constant feeling of wanting more.
I’ve taken accounting courses, workshops, and currently a social media marketing course. All to better my abilities and learn new content so one day I won’t be afraid to leave a steady, stable, well-paying, great benefits, pension giving job and do something I love and exceed in!
I guess what I’m trying to say is don’t coast through life (or high school) work hard, set goals and blast them out of the water! I should have tried harder, I should have focused better and not just been happy with my B average when I was clearly destined for the A!
