Just try it!

To start, let it be known that I am by no means an expert (of anything) nor do I claim to be. This is just an experience I had and my interpretation of said experience that I would like to share. So why may you ask would I urge anyone to try something when I am no expert of anything? Well, we aren’t talking about trying drugs or something that will get you into trouble or killed. We are talking about trying that thing (whatever it is) that you have been thinking about doing forever but have been too afraid, busy (or whatever) to do it. I am specifically taking about things that have to do with changing your career. I graduated high school eight years ago and I am just now in my second semester of college. I put it off for so long because I had no clue what it was that I would even being going to school for. Through my work experiences I discovered some things I definitely do not want to do but overall I had no sense of direction. For the longest time. There were so many things I thought I might like but had never tried. And of course people tell you to try things or find a mentor or talk to someone in that profession. Which is great advice, except sadly I never listened. Until recently. I started taking classes at college and decided once and for all that I needed to start finding ways to really dig into potential careers so I could finally make a decision. Being that I stay at home with young children most of the time, my choices were limited to what I could do from my desk at home usually in the middle of the night. But, thanks to the internet, that’s not such a narrow scope. First I started out with some paid gigs with the skills I already had. I tried transcription (not for me). I tried freelance writing, which I like but I’m not sure I am cut out for marketing myself as aggressively as that would require. I’ll have to revisit that at sometime in the future. I tried QA for websites, which is fine but not my end game for a career. Then I considered that maybe what I wanted to do was something I didn’t know how to do yet. (I suspect that is probably the case for many people.) I looked up all the different careers I could do from home on a flex schedule and took some free online classes that had to do with those. I finally tried a computer science class and it was like: click! I was fascinated. It’s strange because when I was younger, I couldn’t care less about computers and technology. Sure, I liked TV and video games but what kid doesn’t? I would never have thought I would be interested in a technology based career. When I first started out on my own, I didn’t have internet for years and didn’t get a smartphone until 2012. I cared very little for technology. A couple of months ago, I started taking some classes for python and ruby and I am still very much a coding beginner but I think I have finally found something that I enjoy that I could possibly make a viable career out of. It is like a huge weight has been lifted off of me. The crippling uncertainty and doubt has been replaced with hope and determination. Such a simple thing like trying a free online class has made me feel so much more confident and focused than I can ever remember and that carries over into every aspect of my life. So for this reason, I urge you, just try it (whatever it may be). Try something new you have been thinking about. It may seem too simple or a waste of time and it might be, but it might also change your life.