First off, a direct support professional, also known as a DSP, is defined as a person who assists an individual with a disability to lead a self-directed life and contribute to the community, assists with activities of daily living if needed, and encourages attitudes and behaviors that enhance community inclusion.
So basically, the greatest job ever.
So why would anyone believe that being a DSP would be a great job? Well, it's the clients. Our clients, the ones we respect, care for, and learn to love, are the ones who make our job great. The bonds you create with your clients are unlike any other. We gain different aspects of life through our clients and while getting to know them, we get to know parts of ourselves we didn't know existed.
Every day is a new day in our job. No one day is similar to another and every day is different. One day, we may be helping our client clean their place; one day, we may be going to work with them; one day, we may just be going to grab some ice cream while chatting about our day. Every day is a new day, starting with opening that door to endless possibilities.
And of course we have our bad days, just like any other job. Some days are better than others and some are worse than others. We may go some days feeling like there is no end to those demanding struggles where we don't know what to do next. The mountain just keeps getting higher, with no destination in sight.
But when you reach that cliff, when you feel like you're at the brink of a better day, they amaze you. They overcome their obstacle and they fight their battles and pass their finish line with flying colors. The feelings you get by seeing the smiles on their faces when they've reached the goal they've been working so diligently to overcome is worth every struggle through those shifts.
We gain character, compassion, appreciation, wisdom, patience, and grace from our jobs. We learn so many valuable lessons throughout our shifts that sometimes, our job doesn't even really feel like actual work. We go through hardships just like anyone else does in our jobs, but everything we do gets us one step closer to a better future for our clients. Our jobs aren't easy, but they are worth it in every single way.
So when I say it's the greatest job, I mean it. It truly is.
