The Most Important Piece of Advice my Mom Ever Gave Me

I’ve shared before that I started off my college career in acting school. It had been a lifelong dream of mine to appear on the Great White Way or to be in films and on TV (which I would eventually, just in a different capacity). And even though my mom never thought that this was the path for me (oh, why is she always right?) she supported those dreams and would drive me to rehearsals, dance classes, and voice lessons. As she watched me work towards college and acting school, she would repeat one thing over and over and it is the most important piece of advice that my mom has ever given me.

Find something you love to do and get paid for it. Then you’ll never work a day in your life. 

After my freshman year at Pace University, I decided to leave acting behind. I had discovered that instead of acting on stage, I liked writing about it more. I switched majors to English and spent my sophomore year honing my skills and figuring out my place in the writing world. When that place turned out to be journalism, I transferred to Emerson College and for the first time in a few years, I felt I had figured it out. 

After two years in print and multimedia work, I decided to continue my education, going for my master’s in broadcast journalism and that’s when things really clicked. My first job was at a station just outside of Boston and I spent 6 years doing something I loved. I got to produce shows, report from major events, host telethons, and write and give the news. I thought the next logical step was to move to a larger station. 

But after six months in a major market, I found that love I had once had for my career was gone. I left TV and decided to try something different – to make money for money’s sake and leave love out of it. But with that choice, I made the biggest mistake of all. Not only did I hate the next job I took, a PR position at an engineering firm, I hated the work and I hated most of the people in my direct department. 

I guess what I am saying is, while it is great to get paid huge money and that is most people’s goal in life, it is so much more important to love what you do, just like my mom says.

Now while my work is far from easy, I never feel like I am truly working. I love to write, I love to create content, I love to promote causes I believe in and share products that I am passionate about. And I really, really love sharing travel tips and destination guides. While I’ll still have days where I find it hard to get started or some of the tasks may seem tedious, at the end of the day I am so proud to do what I do. 

So a big thank you to my mom for giving the most important piece of advice I’ve ever received, and thank you to all of you who let me do what I love to do!