Redefining the word "success"

As I've been thinking about and praying about and looking for a job, I recently realized that I'm only considering jobs that will be "successful" and "interesting" and "resume-building" by someone else's standards. I've realized that I've been looking for "fast-paced", "important", probably stressful jobs where I meet CEOs or Senators and have to wear heels every day. I want my gap years between undergrad and grad school to be "meaningful" and contribute "significantly" to my "life experiences". So I'm playing job search buzzword bingo: get five multisyllabic words to describe a job and I win.

Someone once told me that boring people talk about people, and interesting people talk about ideas. I don't think that's actually true, but that's not the point. The point is that I've been focusing on ideas for the past four years (and, yeah, great experiences and great people), and I'm ready to focus on--invest in--people for a while.

I want a job that will allow me to attend all of Abbie's sports games and recognition ceremonies. I want a job that will allow me to have my weekends off and that won't force me to work long hours. I don't want to be stressed out or too busy. I want to have time to be a YouthFriend and contribute to my church. I want to go out with my friends and spend time with my family. I want to enjoy my job and not dread it, and to feel like I'm contributing to something other than my resume.

And you know, that job might not be a "successful" job by someone else's standards. People from my college may look at that job and dismiss it as not "challenging" or not "reaching my potential". But I want a job that makes me happy, not a job that Jewell approves of. I want a job that allows me to invest in people, not impress people.

With that kind of job, I'll still win buzzword bingo.

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College-educated midwestern girl seeks interesting, fun, paid job opportunities. Info about jobs in government, publishing, education, or ministry (or anything else) requested. Cerner need not apply.