5 Things I Learned in My First Year Working a "Big Kid" Job

Sent up a prayer. Aced the interview. Landed the job. Fluffed out my curls and took the “real” world by storm. Or at least a slight drizzle! I cannot believe that it has been an entire year since I started working my first “big kid” job. Time sure does fly when you’re having fun. I have learned so much over the past year, and I wanted to share my top five lessons with you!

Less is More.

Yes, I can do it. Yes, I can make time. Yes, I can join you. Yes. Yes. Yes. I found myself completely immersed in this never-ending conundrum of commitments and contracts. I was under the impression that I needed to accomplish as many things as possible as quickly as possible or my first year would be seen as a total waste. I chose quantity and pushed myself to the limit trying to ensure that all of my commitments still had my signature quality. You can imagine how well that turned out. I do not regret the connections that I made trying to be everything to everyone, but I cannot help but wonder how differently my first year would have been had I learned to say “no”.

Time is Subjective.

I had inadvertently entered into this race against time, and my one-year mark could have easily been mistaken for a timebomb. And when my time was up that would be the end, right? Wrong! I have my entire career to leave a lasting legacy. To implement real change. To change the world. Do not let our fast-paced society convince you that you have to accomplish it all right now. You have time.

Advocate for Your Passions.

I chose to stand in solidarity with those fighting to be celebrated. Instead of becoming someone else’s voice, I made sure that they were seated and supported at the table. I incorporated these beliefs into the work that my office produced, and I did not have to abandon my field of study in order to explore a new one. I merged them. I recognized where the ideologies of both overlapped and exalted them. By doing so, I was able to gain new opportunities for myself as a young professional, but more importantly, I helped enhance the lives of those I serve.

Change is Good.

No matter where you are in your career journey, I would bet my last two dollars that you do not spend 40+ hours a week trapped in a block of cement. Do not allow people, including yourself, to put you in a career box. You are allowed to change your mind. You are allowed to change your interests. You are allowed to change your priorities. You are simply allowed to change.

Do the Impossible.

Be ambitious. Be bold enough to go after what you want. Have the audacity to think that you can achieve the unconquerable. Over the years, I was told more times than I can count that my goals were too big to accomplish. I was told that they were impossible. I was told that someone like me just did not achieve such matters. I proved them all wrong, but more importantly, I made myself proud. Stop playing with your own potential and go build the life you want.

I wish you the best of luck on your career journey, and I hope that my lessons learned gave you a bit of hope for the future. Here’s to moving forward!