That’s a question I’ve been asked and given a lot of thought over the years. 🤔 And honestly, I’ve never been sure how to answer it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Don’t get me wrong. I definitely want to be a nurse and I’ve known that for quite some time. 👩🏻‍⚕️ I mean, I’m certainly not working full time, managing a household {with a lot of help from a super understanding husband ☺️}, going to school, and spending my spare time studying, while punishing my artistic, creative {and noticeably resistant 🙄} brain with math classes because it’s a fun hobby. 😒

I genuinely enjoy serving others and offering support, education, and compassion. And get ready to roll your eyes, guffaw, shake your head, or however else you might need to prepare yourself for a cliche… Ready? 🤓 I want to make the world a better place. There. I said it. 😊 I want to make a positive impact on as many people as possible in a way that only I can. 💞 No matter how you feel about religion, spirituality, karma, the universe, the butterfly effect, or whatever else you might believe is responsible for how, when, or why things transpire, I really feel that nursing is my calling. So, I’m putting everything I’ve got into making it a reality, because I truly could not see myself in a profession outside of healthcare. 😍

Having said all that, I loathe 🤢 the question, “What do you want to to be when you grow up?” I think we should stop saying it to kids {and people, in general😒}. Why? Because I don’t think it’s as simple as choosing or a specific vocation. There is and will always be an abundance of incredibly intelligent, skilled, talented, driven, ambitious, would-be successful people in all regions of this world. But not everyone is afforded the same opportunities or resources. 😕

No matter what you’ve heard about ‘pulling yourself up by your bootstraps’ or making your own way, it’s not always so easy. It’s true that some people defy the odds and find a way to achieve their dreams and reach their full potential. ☝🏻 We’ve all been moved by the chronicles of someone who survived an impoverished childhood of abuse and neglect, before overcoming his/her beginnings to become a famous philanthropist and tech mogul, investment guru, world renowned scientist, or some other equally impressive phenom.

Still, these results are the exception, not the rule. And while someone might recount these types of experiences to offer powerful inspiration and even comfort to someone who feels trapped by their circumstances, they can also create immense pressure, stress, and self doubt in your mind when you can’t seem to replicate those results for yourself. 😤

As a society, we need to stop basing our convictions for the majority on the extraordinary outcomes of a slim minority. We need to be more open minded and accept that “Homeless to Harvard” is not the reality for everyone, or even a significant portion of people who face adversity. 😔

We also need to work on our view of success and contentment, recognizing that these things mean different things to different people.

I was recently on Warrior Forum, one of my favorite forums for entrepreneurs, creatives, and side hustlers. I was searching for tips and marketing help to attract more clients for my writing and art services. While there, I came across the post of someone from Liberia who was also searching for help marketing his writing and perfecting his pitches. He was very excited that he had finally started receiving positive feedback from an editor who had offered to pay him $20 per 1,000 word article and he just wanted 2-3 more consistent clients who would pay around the same amount each month. 🤨

I want to pause here, for a moment. Now, I have no idea how much you guys know about the writing industry, so let me give you a little insight. 😉 On the LOW end of the pay scale, writers should expect to earn no less than $50-100 per 500 word article from reputable individuals or companies. $20 for 1,000 words is an insult to hardworking writer everywhere and frankly a ripoff. 😡 In fact, a lot those hardworking writers don’t mind telling you how they feel about those sorts of prices. Many will even tell you that they place as much blame for the devaluation of their work on writers willing to accept such offers as they do on the predatory clients who propose them and I have to admit, they’re pretty justified. 🤐

Since confrontation is right up there with a crowded nude beach on my list of uncomfortable situations, I often silently read, observe, and judge triggering or controversial forum posts and social media posts without actually engaging. 😬 So I forfeited my original reason for visiting the forum to read the seemingly endless vicious attacks and venom being spewed at this poor guy, who had unknowingly ignited the wrath of the internet. I was ravenously reading each response and feverishly clicking page after page in anticipation of his defense for his business model. Was he lacking confidence, unsure of appropriate pricing, singlehandedly trying to undermine the entire writing industry? What exactly was his deal? 🤔 “Explain yourself, good sir!” 🧐

I finally found an answer on the 5th page and I immediately felt ashamed for being so judgmental and intolerant of a complete stranger. 😣 He explained that in his country, things are very difficult. Many children don’t get to attend school beyond elementary or middle school. 😳 Many families are very poor, surviving on less than $60/ month. He apologized for upsetting so many people. He said he admired people from the UK, US, and wealthier nations, but knew he could never have the things we do. He said he knew it was ambitious and didn’t actually expect to achieve it, but his goal was to earn around $250/month to help his family have a better life. 😭

Can you imagine having such limited resources at your disposal that $250/month seems out of the realm of possibility? 😧

Many of us become so fixated on what success looks like for someone else that we probably haven’t given much thought to what it looks like to ourselves and that’s really unfortunate. ☹️ I wonder how many people would consider a different path in their lives if they took some time to reflect and paint their own picture of success. 🤔

Now, back to that original question, “What do I want to be when I grow up?” I want to be happy, helpful, kind, loving, empathetic, creative, charitable, and considerate, but above all else, I want to be grateful. Because without those things, the rest doesn’t mean much. 💖