That Feeling When You’ve Achieved Your Childhood Dream

There's something exhilarating, satisfying, and daunting at the same when you've achieved your childhood dream. I grew up in a family that wasn't wealthy in money, but in creativity and drive. While much of the people around us were not truly kind, we learned to be kinder. When things seemed at an all time low, we found happiness. We learned to always find a way. And that is a lesson from my mom that I will forever be grateful for.

Since I was eight, I have made decisions with careful thought behind them. But I've also learned when to go with the flow because sometimes, spontaneity can turn into something more beautiful than you can imagine. But through every decision, I've come to be where I am and who I am today. And I have no regrets.

When I was little, I can’t say I knew what I wanted to be, but I knew what I wanted to be doing. I knew I wanted to be creating everyday. I wanted to help people and to bring happiness to others in whatever shape or form.

For a long time, I wanted to be an astronaut, all the way up till college, but I later figured out it was more a yearning to be working at the cutting edge and the thrill at pioneering something new. When it came to classes, if there was a higher level or advanced placement, I pushed myself to get there because I wanted to be there. I wanted the challenge. I wanted to push myself to find my limits and then push even further to exceed them. I didn’t care about what people said or where they told me I should be for my age or gender. It just made me more determined because it meant I was getting closer.

Throughout, I’ve been lucky to have found people who understand me and believe in me sometimes even when I don’t - people who champion and mentor me. I am forever grateful to them and strive to be that champion for others.

I am selective in what I choose to work on - that they help and not hurt. I balance my time with mentoring people and really trying to understand them to grow them further.

But, I’ve also found understanding people is the key to bringing them happiness. Not everyone is the same, even if the same words are said. By understanding people, we can anticipate their needs, their asks, or how to make them smile - whether it’s bringing joy to a loved one, coworker, or client.

Today, I’m a senior mechanical engineering tech lead. Whatever the label, I’m happy to say I’ve been creating everyday for several years now and continue to try and exceed new limits. And I love it. Not bad for someone under 30 or a girl right?