be the driver

Don't be a passenger in your own life; be the driver.

I got this fortune a few years ago and didn't quite understand it. I thought "why would I be a passenger in my life? It's my life I will do what I want," meanwhile I was the passenger all along and never realized it. I like to keep all of my fortunes because I feel like when I see them it is a sign that I am meant to see the message that is on it. So let me tell you how I went from being the passenger in my life to being the driver.

Since I was a little girl I have always loved being a teacher. My mom was a teacher and my grandma volunteered in schools because she always wanted to be a teacher, but never took the chance. I wanted to be just like them. I would line up every doll I had, every stuffed animal, anything I could pretend was my student. I would hand write tests for each of my toys, do the tests myself, and then grade them lol. Might sound insane but I just loved the idea of being a real teacher. As I got older and had to start thinking about what I wanted to pursue in college, teaching was always in the back of my mind. Now I love my family more than words can explain and I know they always had the best intentions to guide me in the right direction, but from when I was a little girl on, I was always told not to be a teacher. "It's too much work!" "It's not enough money!" "You don't wanna do that!" But really I did. I heard "try healthcare, thats where the big bucks are at!" "you're so good at taking care of people, do that instead!" So what would any 17 year old girl do who is being told to go for the job that makes great money and something I'm really good at. I took care of my grandma who had Alzheimer's for years. I did great at that and I absolutely loved it. Maybe they're right. So I went on to get a Bachelor's degree in Health Sciences. But guess what? I still didn't know what I wanted to do. So again, I was told "get a degree in radiation therapy, thats really great money and I heard people love it!" Cool let's do it (even though I had no idea what radiation therapy even was but hey it makes good money and people love it). So I went on to get another Bachelor's degree in Radiation Therapy just barely passing because quite honestly I have never even seen a CT scan before and I had no idea what was going on for that whole 1 year program. But I did it. Then it was time to take my board exams to get certified. You get 3 tries to pass or you get your degree taken away and have to retake the program. Well...failed twice. When I say I have no idea what any of those 200 questions even said...I have no idea!! So I decided to pause before taking my third and final board exam. I spent days crying and defeated. I even mentioned to my sister in law "I should've just been a teacher." Well, as I'm pausing from my boards a job opens up at my mom's school. And guess what? I took it! I got hired right away! I became a teaching assistant for students who need English language support. And the second I started that job, it hit me. This is right. This is where I belong, this is where I'm supposed to be. I absolutely loved it. So I quickly got certified to be a substitute teacher and got to sub for my mom's class!! Then I decided I am not gonna be the passenger anymore. I talked to my parents and finally told them "this is the career I was meant to choose. I get excited every day to go to work. I want to be teacher." Which at first was a little hard to grasp because I was 24 with 2 Bachelor's degrees in health. But they came around. They even made sure I started classes right away for my certification program I am currently enrolled in! I have 2 exams and I am almost done studying for the first (will update when I pass it ;)). And guess what? I actually understand what I'm learning and I enjoy studying because I'm studying what I love! I cannot wait to be a teacher!

I am telling this story because a lot of people end up somewhere they don't wanna be or doing something they don't wanna do because other people tell them to do it. They end up being in the passenger seat, while someone else is driving their car. If that is you I want you to know this. This is your life. The only person living your life is you! Nobody else is working for you. You are the one who has to show up to your job with a smile on your face every day. So choose a path that will genuinely make you happy.

Don't be a passenger in your own life; be the driver.