hulee:

Someone older, related, and important asked me what I was doing with my life.

I told them that I changed my major from medical to law. 

They then proceeded to tell me how they’d prefer it if people in their family were reputable medical people and that people in the medical field never have to worry about income prospects because they’ll always be in demand. They shook their head and ended the conversation then and there.

So far, besides my closest friends and non-traditional family members, others have not been so supportive of my choice. As an Asian-American woman, I stand only at 5’2. I’m hardly intimidating, and well, the reality is that people would generally be willing to hire a more robust, intelligent, not-so-child-like looking person to represent them seriously in court. Asian? In California? I might have a chance. I live in New Mexico— Asians are a major minority. I’m stuck here until further notice. I was never planning to be a court attorney anyway, but this is the reason I was dissuaded from the law profession when I first started college. 

I only recently decided to pursue what I wanted because I realized that I wasted so much time doing something that my heart just wasn’t into. The medical field was the last place I saw myself, and the first place I was pushed into because of some ridiculous standards. The result? Less than wonderful. So much disappointment and stressed welled up, I just felt so useless.

Well, I’m done. 

I don’t care for reputations. I’m the one with the reputation to worry about, so if others find me a disappointing, it’s their problem not mine. I’m also the one living this life. I am not doing it for anyone else. The consequences of my choices ultimately stay with me. I will pay for them. No one else. No one else matters. It’s my life. I’m not going to live it unhappy in a profession I have no capacity, or interest to learn.

Steve Jobs said it best:

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”