I can remember from the time I was little dreaming of the job I’d want to do when I grew up. My dream to be a nurse started before I was 5 years old. I can remember sitting for an artist who drew one of those silly characters to where you have a little itty bitty body and your head is HUGE. He drew me like this as a nurse. I just knew this is what I wanted to be all through elementary school, junior high, and high school. I applied to colleges based on whether they had a nursing program or not.
Then I joined the U.S. Army Reserves my junior year in high school. I went in as a medic, because this was as close to a nurse as they had for jobs available to me at the time. I went to basic training the summer between my junior and senior years. My senior year seemed to go by way too fast and then I graduated. A few short weeks later I was off to AIT (my medic schooling). At this point, I still wanted to be a nurse.
In the end, I realized that being a nurse wasn’t in the cards for me. I have no problems drawing blood and things like that, but the whole gory stuff and smells just weren’t my thing. My husband still teases from time to time that I was a medic. Oh well, at least I found out BEFORE I did all the schooling only to find out it wasn’t for me.
In high school is where I actually got my first experience toward being an administrative assistant. The computer and learning new programs comes very naturally for me, and for someone my age (40-something :)), that’s saying something as most people my age don’t seem to love the computer in the same way I do, or technology for that matter. I’m not saying everyone my age is like that, but it seems like most of the ones I talk to don’t have a love for them. They’re more of a way of life now than anything else. For me, I love working on them and learning new things. So the progression toward being an admin assistant was natural.
After I left active duty, I did this type of work almost exclusively and enjoyed it. The problem I always had, especially when I became a mom, was wanting to be able to work from home. I never had an opportunity before. Working virtually wasn’t something very common even 10 years ago. For me, this would have been my “dream” job. Being able to do admin work while working at home. Talk about a win-win.
Well, my dream came true back in October. Zirtual is one part of a company that hires VAs (virtual assistants) who all work from home. You’re first hired as a contractor, but from time to time they will take a contractor and make them an employee instead if they choose to. I saw the job opportunity on their website and applied. The whole process, I think, took about 2 weeks (including a Google Hangouts video interview). They hired me as a contractor to be a VA.
I have absolutely loved it so far. However, what I thought was the “perfect” job hasn’t been as perfect as I thought it would be. While I won’t go into details, there has been a hard situation I’ve been in that stressed me out and caused me to doubt myself. In life, no matter how perfect something looks, those moments always creep in – sometimes expected, but more times than not, completely unexpected – whether we want them to or not. Just like with people, there are no perfect jobs. However, it’s in how we handle the situations that count overall. Will we allow ourselves to be defeated because of setbacks or will we take those setbacks and learn something from them, making us a strong person. I’d like to think I’m the latter more than the first, or at least I try to be.
While my situation hasn’t totally improved – I know God is working on it so it will 🙂 – I know that I will be a better person for having gone through it and I will be better prepared the next time something like this comes into my life.
(This was written back on January 21, 2018, but I never got around to posting it until now.)
I have had times where I thought it would be amazing to be a VA. I pray that you will be totally blessed by it.
Thank you, Kelly. It’s been an awesome experience so far and a great fit for our family.
SO good to hear from you again! I have been thinking of you and wondering how you are. Your thoughts on jobs are right on, from my experience. I have had many jobs and always found little quirks that made them less than perfect. But why am I surprised? I live in a less than perfect world, with less than perfect people, and I am much less perfect than most! Thanks for sharing, Kristina! Best wishes in your job as a VA! Keep us posted on how it is going!
Hi Sylvia, I really miss you. Thank you, as always, for your kind words. You hold a very special place in my heart.
As for jobs, since we are all human, perfection is a myth as it will never happen, at least this side of heaven. Thank you for always taking the time to read what I write and commenting.