Community Chat

[151949]

Working hard and studying all the way since first grade through high school so I would have good enough grades to get a schlorship. Then picking a career that was always there for me and , though nurses don't make tons of money, I always made enough to support my self and my step children. Also, when given advancement opportunities, I chose to stay a bedside nurse. Management is not for me!! i loved caring for patients. However, all that said , if I could go back and start again , I would have done something else within the medical world - like a Physical therapist or speech therapist, just because nursing took so much away from my personal life due to the demands of that profession on ones time, having to cover 365 days a year and 24 hours a day.

[Meowingkitty]

Best decision - choosing to never having kids. Get my bachelors degree.

[dex]

Very impressiveDrythe...How old were you when you completed all of your degrees.You are a very strong and determined woman and someone to admire.

[dex]

The smartest decision was one my DH and I made.We built our first house ourselves without any loans or mortgages.I was working and we lived on that small income and my husbands pay checks went directly into materials for the house.It took us two and a half years to build and iwas totally paid for on completion.Iwas only 23and he was 28.We have had a nice life and that is because we sacrificed early on.

[ECBG]

The decision to become a high school teacher because of the most warm beautiful teacher I had as a senior.  I looked at ther and said "that is who I want to be"!  Her DH turn out to be a state House Speaker.

One day, when at our son's elementary school twenty years later, I walked past an office and SHE was there as a counselor!  I'm so glad I got to tell her the success she helped me to be and how many students benefited from the seed she planted!

[Lilysmom]

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@Drythe wrote:

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@NoelSeven wrote:

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@Goldengate8361 wrote:

........apart from marrying your spouse and having children, what has been the best decision you've ever made? For me, it was continuing my education. I have a couple of advanced degrees and that has made a HUGE difference in my life and the opportunities that opened up to me. I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts....

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Mine was the same as yours, and I did it all myself.  Worked my way through undergrad, graduate and post post graduate.  No loans, either, two jobs at the same time, plus a full class load.

It wasn't easy, but I made it work.  I didn't live at home, I lived with roommates and paid for my own living expenses.

I don't think that can be done today.  Rent and the cost of living are too high, so are textbooks.

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Mine too, BA, Masters, Doctorate and post Doc.  All worked for (two jobs) and paid for by me, carried a full load, and had no help, or loans, but did have a partial academic scholarship (part of tuition only) for Doc.  Rented a room in a private home close to campus. So grateful to have been able to do on my own - many times I thought I might not make it.

Then, when I had my creds I started my own business.   Not a single regret!

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@Drythe, @Noel 72, just awesome!  LM

[maestra]

completing my education and completing my M.Ed.

[jlkz]

Best decision: position myself to take a buyout at 40 with a pension from AT&T and start my own training consulting business as a solo entrepreneur.

Networking brought me into contact with a very well known outplacement firm so I did per diem work on the side.  This enabled me to use all the management and career development expertise I had.  Success here: conducted a two-day participative executive level seminar that led to the firm's landing a major contract.

Invited to speak at my college's Senior Honors Covocation as a successful corporate executive,  I was further invited to lead one of the Effective Communications & Group Leadership evening classes.  This led to several semesters of adjunct professor status where I taught the entire course as a participative workshop that incorporated Listening Skills too.  ( Having decided to pursue my masters in French while the company agreed to tuition reimbursement and newly married paid off---an MA degree was all that was needed besides my demonstrated experience in order to teach college. )

When I look back, my decisions were perfect for me at the time.  In today's world though, I would go into interior home design.  It's something I discovered that I had a talent for all along and gives me great satisfaction.

[house_cat]

Going back to school for my teaching credential and graduate degree at 42 years old.  DH has been in and out of work since then, but my job sustains us quite well. I don't know what we would have done if I had not made that decision.

[Stray]

Like many others, continuing my education.  I started as a nurse in L&D and due to the demands of family and managing a busy NYC unit, I entered the field of Public Health and became a Certified School Nurse; the job was fun but not too challenging so I  entered the corporate world in a Fortune 100.  I was fortunate and took advantage of tuition reimbursement and returned to school and changed my major.  I obtained a BA, Masters, doctorate with post grad training and went on to obtain a law degree.  As the degrees were different majors/professions, I was presented with very unique and rewarding opportunities at my former place of employment.  I am now retired and offer pro bono legal  services/counsel victims of domestic violence.   I have loved every job I have had and feel very rewarded when I can help people now.