The Mirror - Rearview Mirror

As I reflect on my life - I would have never dreamed that I would accomplish what I accomplished in my career. At 12, I started my life in the workforce as a local paperboy that paid 25 cents per paper delivered. From my teens to my departure to college, I was a grocery bagger at a local grocery store. I worked three jobs in college, including a bookstore sales associate, a Taco Bell team member, and a Branch Sales and Services Specialist at a local bank. For my first degree, I studied and graduated with a bachelor of science in psychology with a minor in evolutionary ecology biology from Clarion University of Pennsylvania, now PennWest. After achieving my degree and graduating, I continued to work at the bank exclusively until one day, a customer of mine was a nurse and talked me into considering the nursing profession. After reflecting on the conversation I thought I should put my bachelor's degree to good use. Lucky for me, there was a 74-bed inpatient psychiatric hospital in our small town.

I decided on a 6-month plan where I would work for six months as a Mental Health Technician (MHT) at the psychiatric hospital on weekends and still full-time at the bank. If I liked it, I would apply to nursing school and transition to working full-time as a mental health technician. My plan worked! I worked both jobs for 6 months and then successfully transitioned to work full-time at the psychiatric hospital. Many of my friends and family members advised me not to go work at the psychiatric center. They said I would get hurt and not be able to handle the stress. At the bank, I wore a tie and a dress clothes daily, so to go from my dress shirt and tie to scrubs felt like a stretch. When I transitioned from part-time to full-time at the psych hospital, the only full-time position was in the Assessment and Referral Department, where I could still wear dress clothes. I wanted to work with the patients but unfortunately there was not a position available and I also received a higher pay rate in the department that had an open position. I transitioned to work there, and on my first evening shift, I was wearing a tie and dress clothes, cleaning up urine in the lobby from an adolescent patient - what a sight to see. Lol.

After a year of working at the psychiatric hospital, I was promoted to department supervisor. When I finished nursing school, I was promoted to department director. At the end of my career at that psychiatric hospital, I managed three different departments and was the director of infection prevention. While at the inpatient psychiatric hospital, I achieved my associate's in nursing and then my bachelor's in nursing. By 30, I had three degrees and was a licensed registered nurse (RN). After the psychiatric center, I went to work at a not-for-profit hospital that had a psychiatric unit in the hospital. I was employed as a clinician, similar to a nursing supervisor. I also achieved my Master's in nursing administration while there. The small town Franklin, Pennsylvania, had a population of 2,500 at the time. During that time, I met future my best friend and later husband. He was completing a three-year psychiatric rotation to satisfy his visa requirements. We fell in love in day one and have been together ever since. 

Being together, we both realized we wanted to move to a place with a better quality of life. The cold winters did not help either, so we sought opportunities outside of Pennsylvania, targeting warmer areas. Florida was a close choice, but thankfully, we landed in Sacramento, California, where we rented and apartment for the first year of California living. I moved out to California to work for a large hospital system to open a new crisis stabilization unit attached to the emergency department at a local trauma center. After successfully opening the unit, I transitioned to be the Chief Nursing Officer of a new 117-bed psychiatric hospital to be opened in downtown Sacramento. I did that for a few months and then was promoted to the Regional Chief Nursing Officer for the Northern California Behavioral Health System. I worked in that position for three years and then transitioned to support over 42 mental health facilities across the Golden State while I achieved my second master’s in nursing through a certificate program as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

You know why the windshield in a car is bigger compared to the rearview mirror - Because it is more important where you are going as you move forward and not where you were. It is fascinating to reflect on one's life and realize that the dreams of tomorrow are being lived in today. When I was renting my first apartment as a college student, I never imagined owning a home and then I achieved that dream of owning one for the first time in Pennsylvania. I never dreamed I would own a home in California and then that dream was accomplished. When owning a home in California, I never dreamed I would own a home with a swimming pool. My point is that each day, we wake up in a reality that was yesterday's dreams. We are starting to build our dreams for tomorrow today. Taking action by, starting that podcast, having that conversation, and reading that book all add depth and value to our dreams.

So, when I look around the house at this particular point my life - I see a three bedroom, three bathroom, 3000 square-foot home, and you think to yourself, wow, this is incredible! But then you think - I would love a fourth bedroom, maybe an extra thousand square feet, because you're considering having a child. You look around, and dream of more. You see all these things that you accomplished 5 degrees, a beautiful home, a successful career, and you think to yourself, I want more. It is interesting because today's reality was yesterday's dream. As Jay Shetty eloquently described on The Mel Robbins Podcast, we can't forget the effort and energy that went into achieving those dreams. As she pointed out, we often forget the effort it took to achieve something the moment we actually achieve it.

I never, in one million years, would've dreamed that I would own a beautiful home, in a beautiful community, with beautiful community members, on a lake in sunny Sacramento, California. I distinctively and vividly remember the hard work, sacrifice, and tremendous amount of sweat and tears that went into my personal evolution to achieve the success I have today, and I am grateful.

Reflecting on this journey, I am filled with deep gratitude—not only for the accomplishments and milestones, but for every step, challenge, and detour that led me here. From cleaning lobby floors in dress shoes to leading regional nursing operations in one of the largest states in the country, my path has been anything but traditional. It’s been fueled by perseverance, humility, and an unwavering belief in growth.

I’ve learned that success isn’t a final destination—it’s a reflection of consistent effort, deep intention, and the courage to keep going when the outcome is unclear. It’s about waking up every day and choosing to build the life you once only dreamed of. And when that life arrives, it’s about pausing long enough to recognize it, appreciate it, and let it inspire your next dream.

So wherever you are on your own journey, I hope you take this as a reminder: your beginnings do not define your limits. You are always just one decision, one moment of courage, one leap of faith away from a future you never imagined possible. I am living proof of that.

Disclaimer:
The information shared on this blog is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition or your health. Never ignore or delay seeking professional guidance because of something you have read here.