"How do I figure out what to do with my life?"

As promised, here is the answer to our first question!  Please add your comments if you think I am a bit off!

Dear Queen City Yam: This is a tough and ongoing question.  At different stages of your life, you will ask yourself this very question, and in between those times, no doubt, you will either think you are on the right track or have forgotten the question. 

I think this question first starts to rear its ugly face about the time you have to choose a major in college.  You wonder what option you should choose that would best suit a future of success.  The thought that this choice will narrow your path in life is a bit frightening.  What you don’t think about is that your choice doesn’t have to limit your future options.  While it does provide you with some purpose and direction, you can major in Political Science and still volunteer as a geologist in your spare time.  Julia Child was a world renowned chef, author, and television personality, but did you know she was once a Top Secret researcher for the Office of Strategic Services and worked for the Secret Intelligence Division?

We must also keep in mind that life changing events can be just that, life changing.  In my own defense, I once wanted to be a Dental Hygienist.  The profession had always interested me from such a young age.  Upon returning from deployment to Iraq, however, and witnessing horrific encounters with behavioral health professionals, I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in psychology so that no one would have to experience such terrible people.  I also began talking with friends who encouraged my career path towards psychology because it came so naturally.  I did some volunteer work at a Behavioral Health Triage Center while doing some training at Fort Hood in Texas. I sat in with a professional who spent most of her time typing away on a computer trying to arrange the perfect provider (psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist) to talk with the Soldier depending on his/her needs.  Many of the patients coming in for referrals would sit in the small cubical and just start telling me their life stories while the professional searched the options.  It was comforting to see once distressed Soldiers leave the small space with a smile on their face and telling me they were feeling a tiny bit better.  Later in the day, as I was leaving, the professional told me this was an odd occurrence that she had never before witnessed.

Enough about me, back to the question…

The most important thing about life is to surround yourself with people that you like in a position in which you are passionate.  If you hate your job, you are never “stuck,” there is always an option to change what you are doing.  Same goes with the people around you, if unhappiness/discomfort presents itself, you can change or broaden your social circle.  These changes take time though, so please exercise patience when creating change. 

I think Einstein says it best when he says, “Life is like riding a bicycle.  To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”  I know it seems like I just plopped this quote in here, but take a moment to think about it.  Change is movement.  Happiness is balance.  Life isn’t one of those things you can just figure out, because it is ever changing.

In short, do things you like with people you like.  Next question, and lots of input, please =)