24/7 Hotlines: Call or text 988 or text 741741
Seeing as how we are constantly evolving as human beings, the ideas we possess often change as well. I know for me, what I wanted to grow up to be when I was a child had changed so many times I had lost count. Of all the things that I had once desired for myself to become, I can recall that being an “animal doctor” was the very first thing that my young heart desired. I longed to be able to take care of cute puppies and fluffy things all day long. That was until I discovered that the real name for that position was veterinarian and I could not properly pronounce that in kindergarten. Among that, there was also the desire to become a teacher, an author, a marine biologist (which I only wanted to be because it sounded very professional but I quickly got over that when I realized I’d most likely have to go in the ocean), and others I can’t even recall to this day. Of those things though, I am very glad I am now none of them. I wouldn’t trade the job I have now at Advocacy Unlimited for any of those, because I understand that I am truly making an impact on other people’s lives. What kinds of crazy things did you want to grow up to be when you were a child?
TurningPointCT.org was developed by young people in Connecticut who are in recovery from mental health and substance use issues. We know what it’s like to feel alone, stressed, worried, sad, and angry. We’ve lived through the ups and downs of self-harm, drugs and alcohol, and the struggle to find help.
Learn More »
© 2024 TurningPointCT.org. All Rights Reserved.
As a child, I always wrote on school assignments for “what do you want to be when you grow up”, that I wanted to be a “mother and a wife” !!! It’s still true to this day. I loved watching my mom and how she raised my brother and me. I also loved seeing how in love her and my stepfather are. I wanted to be just like her, and still do, so it definitely is still true as silly as it sounded! I’m not yet either one, but I hope one day I will be!
What a great question – I think that from a young age I wanted to be a teacher, like my father. Its funny, because in a way, I am fulfilling that role – just in the advocacy community, not in mainstream education.
My other passion has always been art – whether it was wacky cartoons or beautiful portraits, I was always inspired by the art of disney and other films that I grew up with.
When I was younger I always said I wanted to be a “really good waitress!” haha. My OCD started to take over my thinking and made me fearful to be a waitress because then I would have to touch other people’s plates and silverware which could make me “sick.”
In Kindergarten, I changed my mind and said I wanted to be an RN (Registered Nurse) like my mother, but I was afraid of needles and I didn’t want to poke someone with a needle. Living as an only child, I would “teach” my classroom how to do reading assignments, math problems (making my own “projector” to reflect on the walls) and using stickers on fake homework assignments for grading.
Middle School changed my thinking, so then it evolved into a speech therapist, then a respiratory therapist (girl scout trip to the hospital) and realized I didn’t want to be around people coughing up junk.
In high school, I fell in love with the idea of being a psychologist or genetic counselor and then junior year and senior year I took AP French which sparked the idea of becoming a French teacher.
Now I have narrowed it down, since I am working as a Peer Support Specialist for the CT STRONG grant, I know it won’t most likely last forever, so I would like to go into research for mental health and genetics.
First, pro soccer player. Getting on a traveling premier team boosted my confidence, so I ran with it and figured wow, I’m actually good, maybe I can shoot for pro! When that dream died fast, I just aimed to play D1 in college. Yet after that dream at about 12, I really had no dream job or goal. I was lost and my only dream job was to do something in the health field; either a therapist, life coach, nutritionist, or personal fitness trainer. With the help of an eating disorder during my teen years, and the pressure to decide a major for college, I chose to minor in psychology and major in dietetics. Still, I had no dream job. All I knew was that these two things were my most prized interests, or perhaps sick interests.
At this very !moment in time, I am STILL LOST & CONFUSED toward what career I truly desire. Therapist? Registered Dietitian? Even nursing comes to mind- it seems the easier way out, ya know, just medical science and minimal emotions. Then again, avoiding emotions was the exact bullet in my foot…I just don’t know! Or maybe a stupid job I don’t care about just to pay my way through having a family- that’s the point of life anyway, right? I really don’t know.
All I know is that I am so blessed and glad to be where I work now. I can be creative, give input, share ideas, and utilize the skills and knowledge I’ve gained across all previous career dream facets; nutrition, psych, and fitness. What I love the most is to working here with like-minded people; we are all so similar yet all so different and unique.
As a kid I think I wanted to be everything.. a lawyer, a choreographer, an actress.. you name it. Every time I got exposed to something new or saw one of my role models doing something awesome, I was with it.. wanted to be just like them. I guess it wasn’t until I grew up and started to figure myself out and what I like did I start to go down my own path.
It’s so refreshing to see that all of you went through/are still going through the same things that I am. Some days I feel like I got it, other days I’m just like you Katerina.. confused and lost. Feeling like that is totally ok. For me, it means there’s still room to explore and grow. I’ve recently started doing that.. taking new opportunities and putting myself in situations where I know I would have never done back then. I feel great and I’m so proud of myself.
We are all def blessed, no matter the lane or road we take.
Rai,
I feel like your most impacting statement was the last line that read: “we are def all blessed, no matter the lane or road we take.” I can definitely agree with this, for besides the haziness and crazy things that are starting to come out recently with politics, America is still one of the only places where we are free to explore and become what we desire to be based on our interests and likes. Looking around at the forced limitations set by other countries, I feel beyond blessed that I can get up every morning and do what I actually enjoy doing, not what I am forced to do.