In between – Take it one day at a time

God grant me the serenity 
To accept the things I cannot change; 
Courage to change the things I can; 
And wisdom to know the difference.
- Reinhold Niebuhr

“In between goals is a thing called life, that has be lived.  In between are is the opportunity to change your attitude.”

Sometimes the hardest place to be is in between goals.  For those of you who graduated college or even a masters and you are having a hard time finding a job, I know what it is like to be “in between a goal.” You are more educated than those around you but you are working a job you could have applied for without a degree.  It is hard and humbling at the same time. You might end up working a job at starbucks or a restaurant just to pay the bills. I have recently been working for a restaurant in my hometown. It was a humbling experience for me but I learned the value of working hard because if you don’t you will end up working in a job you do not like. 

A friend gave me a good piece of advice. Take it one day at a time. It becomes hard to look at all you have accomplished in school and you still haven’t found a job.  But when you make small short term goals and try to find something that makes you smile you will make it through this “in between.”  Hard times don’t create heroes.  It is during the hard times when the “hero” within us is revealed.  Give yourself credit for what you have already done.  Every day something changes for you.  

Finest Moments

"The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers."

Its hard to believe all the things that have happened in my life over the past two years.  I remember graduating college and all I knew was that I wanted to go to medical school and help people.  My first year out of college I studied for one of the hardest tests I have ever taken in my life, the MCATs. Upon taking this exam, I applied to medical school for the 2009 cycle.  And the letter I received was not what what I expected. I was rejected.  In that moment, my dreams of going to medical school and touching lives was put on hold.  It was hard time for me. I started to doubt myself but I still believed that I was given a higher purpose. I realized after my mom went through a year and a half of treatment for breast cancer when I was 12 that I wanted to be in medicine. But it wasn't until my first trip to Africa when I was 20 that I knew that God had called me for the medical field. So I asked how I could improve my resume and try again. They told me get a Masters and retake the MCATs. So 2 years ago I set out to do just that.

I decided to go to Tulane University in New Orleans to receive a Masters in Science and Public Health in tropical medicine. I had no idea at the time how much this decision would change my life. Public Health made sense to me. It was something I had always wanted to study. I was a Sociology and Biology major in college and I liked the idea that understanding cultures affect the treatment of medicine.  Tropical medicine proved to me to be as fascinating as it was hard. I worked really hard this past year and a half taking classes in Parasitology and Entomology. Not only did I work hard but I meet some amazing people that shared my passion to travel and help people. I got to experience a wonderful city when they won the Superbowl and live through Mardi Gras. I also meet an amazing man that proved to me that there are still good guys out there and first impressions don't do someone justice.  

I reapplied this past year for medicine school and happily received the letter I had been waiting two years for, an acceptance. I am now spending my final semester in my hometown to save money, working on my thesis, taking a part time job and raising my 6 month year old husky.  I have learned so much in the past two years and I am looking forward to the next chapter. But everyday I am learning about the time in between. How those small decisions can make all in the difference. 

I am looking forward to blogging upcoming lessons, trips and hopefully receive some good advice.  Hope you guys enjoy the journey with me!