A Nice Hello

...that is all I was looking for.

First impressions matter so I just knew that it was going to be a well thought out plan carefully executed to ensure everything was just right. In my mind, there was going to be a formal introduction, maybe a guidebook and even one of those nice sample itineraries.

Instead, she showed up and smacked me in the face…walked away and left me with a sticky note that said “Welcome to Life” and told me my schedule was 8:30-5pm with a 30min lunch. Attire: business casual.

I was 25 and had spent the last 4 months being a semi-depressed graduate degree holder who couldn’t find a job. Then someone took a chance on me…and I had a job with benefits, PTO, retirement options and responsibility.

I followed the plans they said would work for me to be successful and now I just had to put my head down, work hard and it would all take care of itself from there.

Except – that isn’t how this journey has been at all. I have worked hard and been ignored, worked not so hard and been rewarded. I’ve succeeded at things I never thought I would have the chance to do and discovered so much about me when I thought I knew it all.

I’ve read books, talked to people who have been doing it much longer, plotted with people who have been working to navigate it alongside me and I think there are some things for us all to learn.

This is my platform for sharing resources, lessons and stories related to #professionaladulting.

Enjoy!