Some people have said that the American Dream is dead. That you have to sell out and get a corporate job that you aren't even mildly passionate about, because it's "realistic." As a freelance writer, I get that all the time. I get told that I should stick to what is "stable" and "reliable" instead of doing what I love, because it is never guaranteed. With the ups and downs of the economy, guess what? Nothing is guaranteed anymore.
With companies laying off long time employees left and right, the corporate world is somehow not as safe as it was once thought to be.The once stable and secure job you had, can be gone tomorrow if the numbers are not in your favor. With this all happening around us we are left to wonder, is anyone's job safe anymore? When you see managers and long term employees being let go with no notice, that's enough to get anyone shivering in their cubicle. It's dreadful, to say the least, to doubt whether or not you will be able to help support your family in the days to come.
If you are going to question whether or not your corporate job is safe, what's holding you back from following your dreams and pursuing a career you love? Maybe you want to work with animals, underprivileged kids, or research something you are passionate about. I am here to tell you to go for it. Go all in, fearful or not. You may not have anything to lose, and everything to gain. While making a living you can make a real difference in someone else's life, and there is no greater reward than that.
For many people, their dream lies in nonprofit businesses, myself included. Since a young child, I have always dreamed of having my own no-kill animal shelter. The problem with this has always been that it takes money to run it, and being a nonprofit, the funding is limited. This is one of the main obstacles people face when determining if they should do what they love, or do what they are expected to do.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel, however. Nonprofit businesses have grown by about 24%, adding 606,000 jobs in a ten year period. Nonprofits have also added almost $322 Billion in wages to the economy, which is huge! This gives us hope that it may not be as crazy as we once thought it was to pursue our childhood dreams.
It's nice to reminisce on a time when my thoughts were as genuine and innocent as they were when I was a young animal lover. My heart would break anytime I saw a stray pet, looking for not only a home, but love and compassion from a human companion. I always wanted to bring them into my own home, but for obvious reasons that was not possible. The downturn of the economy is not a fortunate thing by any means, but I think it is good for us goal makers and empathetic daydreamers. Go on, get off the internet and go get that job that will actually mean something to you!
For more from Gabrielle, visit Writing on a Whim