the inbetween: 5 things i learned at my first job

The other day I did what felt like the hardest thing I've had to do in all my 22 years of life—

I left my job. 

It took every fiber of my being to muster up the courage and simply tell my boss, "I'm leaving." Having this candid conversation felt a bit like breaking up with someone. It's not you, it's me. I need to explore different paths while I'm young, meet new people, have more experiences...

But I've been thinking about pursuing passion and I've decided now is the time in my life to explore. I'm still discovering and learning about myself, but here are the top five things that my first job has taught me...

Be kind. Not everyone will be nice to you, but you can always be nice to others.

Stop fearing failure. Learn to fail, then learn from your mistake(s).

Be calm, no matter how heated the situation is. Take a deep breath—know that this job is not your life, it's just a part of it.

Never ever burn a bridge. People will inevitably burn bridges, just don't be the one to light the match.

Explore your abilities, really figure out what you can and can't do well. Then, figure out what is fun for you. Knowing what you're good at will help you gain confidence!

I don't know exactly what I want to do, but I do know this—I want to help others and be surrounded by a community of honest, kind, curious, passionate knowledge-seekers. I want to encourage and inspire people to learn and grow. And ultimately, I just want to be a good, happy, healthy human being, which isn't that what we all want?

xo from catie