All throughout high school, I always bounced back and forth between what I wanted to do with my life. My family pressured me to decide on a career, and I worried about it constantly. Most teenagers don’t know what they want to do even after they enter college, but it does help to know before. For the longest time, I decided between pursuing a career as a nurse or a social worker. I’ve always loved helping other people, and I will never stop. Within the last few weeks, I’ve finally chosen which path called to me. I want to be a counselor.

Society makes it seem bad that you have to see a counselor. It’s not a bad thing! It’s perfectly normal. Counseling can be offered to those suffering with a mental illness or to those who just need help with life transitions, such as college or a new job. There’s many options open to me, I can work in halfway houses with people overcoming substance addiction. I can work with correctional facilities or in hospitals and even in schools. There are a lot of employment options for me; there are so many ways I can help people.

As a counselor, I can teach others self love, self worth, and self growth. I can help people who struggle with mental illness embrace themselves and be ashamed. I can guide people struggling with mental illnesses on how to handle their mental disorder. As a counselor, I can provide a safe haven. I want people to feel safe with me, and to confide in me

I have this passion because I struggle with depression and anxiety on a daily basis. I know how it feels to feel alone or even hopeless. Going through this hard time of my life has helped me realize there's so much I want to give to other people, to show other people they're strong enough. Whatever your heart is calling you to do, you should follow it. I know that being a counselor won't pay much, but I know that the reward will be seeing someone rise from rock bottom.

I want to study to be a social worker because I know it's the right career path for me. I know that I have so much to give back. Not only will I be helping other people grow, but I will be growing alongside as well. I know there are lessons that the people I help, can teach me. I am extremely passionate about this. When I think of counseling, I feel at peace and I am proud to say that I know what I want to do. It's a motivation to better myself so I can help others do the same. I'm grateful that after years of going back and forth, I've finally settled on something that I know will make me happy.

What do I want to be when I grow up? I want to be a counselor.