Do you love what you do?

As graduation approached, I attended a seminar on “how to find your first job out of college.”

Like most college students, I knew what I wanted to do. I thought this seminar would give me those extra tips to get ready to make my start in the working world.

With enthusiasm, I sat in a bare room with only chairs and one table for our “coach.”

The first question was, “What would be your ideal job?”

My hand shot up, and  I said, “Something exciting, fun, and challenging!”

I could hear the silence in the room. The “coach” told me I was going to be disappointed. His first lesson was to teach the group that we would need to find any job we could after college. That life was not about finding fun or excitement.

I remember he said most of us would be selling copier machines our first year out of school.

A few weeks after college, I was hired as a District Sales Manager for a large Cruise Line—my dream job.

For 14 years, I was lucky to do what I loved. It was exciting, fun, and challenging.

Until it wasn’t.

I remembered the coach from the college seminar who told me our dream jobs were impossible. I knew I could never believe that.

We spend so much time at work; shouldn’t we find joy in what we do?

Do you love what you do?

My career path significantly changed; I have been a preschool teacher for about 17 years.

I am changing the lives of little ones every day as they change mine.

Some days are more complex than others, but that is okay.

What is your dream job? Whatever it is. Making sure you are happy each day matters.