Happy Friday, Dear Readers!
As always, I am very glad it’s almost the weekend.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about careers and how people discover what it is they love to do. I’ve always felt fortunate that I had a calling, very early on, to write. Even though I don’t write novels for a living yet, my writing ability did lead me to the jobs I have today, and has supported me nicely throughout my adult life.
But what about those who don’t have similar callings? I once had a friend who always wanted to be a hairdresser. She was accepted into school before she found out she was deathly allergic to a lot of the chemicals used in salons. Goodbye, dream. She felt lost, and had no idea how to figure out what to do next.
Since being a full-time novelist is far from a sure thing, I’ve spent quite a bit of time wondering what I’d do if I didn’t write for a living. I enjoyed being a journalist, but I also think I’d love to work with animals, helping to protect them and their environment in some way. “Marine biologist” wasn’t a career choice put before me when I graduated, but I wish I’d known about it when I was younger–it sounds perfect for me! (And I was always good at biology.) There’s a course you can take to be an adventure travel guide, which sounds pretty interesting. I’ve also looked into being a firefighter, and when I was in high school, I strongly considered becoming a psychologist. If I was to go that route, I’d be more interested in the forensics side of the field–helping to profile offenders and analyze crime scenes–than I would be in family and marital counselling.
How about you, Dear Readers? What did you dream of becoming when you were a kid? Did you have a calling? Do you love your day job–why or why not? And if you could do something else, what would it be?
Have a great weekend!
I think just like you, there are several things I have considered, or briefly dreamt about. I would have also loved to work as an adventure travel guide or as a wildlife biologist.
My favourite “unrequited dream job” that I still chuckle over and am glad I never actually did is a carnival worker! Does anyone actually dream about becoming a carny? I thought it would be so cool to travel from town to town working in the cotton candy booth all day long! Oh boy!
Hi Holli,
I wanted to be a mom and a housewife like my mother. I ende up being an Engineer. Go figure.
I think I would have made a good teacher. And even if I weren’t writing, librarian and book store owner certainly topped the list. No matter what I wouldn’t have wanted to be far from my books.
When I was young I wrote in a journal, that my mother kept for us kids, that I wanted to be an archeologist and then a couple years later, a teacher.
I’ve also always wanted to be a writer…maybe someday that will come to fruition as well…
Interesting answers, everyone. Thanks for participating. @ Angela – lots of people talk about running away and joining the circus, so it may be more common a fantasy than you think! 🙂