Changing careers from a CPA (certified public accountant) to a practitioner of Chinese medicine may seem like a very big change and totally unrelated. However, my hobby has always been health ever since I can remember, and this interest has never left me. I truly enjoyed my work as a CPA, however, I would become bored with the positions I held and changed companies about every 5 years.

After being in the field of accounting for 20 plus years and very comfortable with the work, one might think it would be best to stay. However, my heart kept pulling me towards the study of health.

As I shared my story of making this change with friends and acquaintances, it was amazing how many people would like to make changes in their careers too. Have you ever dreamed of working in a different career or place?  I believe, that most people are meant to have at least two careers if not more in a lifetime.

The problem is that there are too many “logical” reasons for staying.  Are any of the following reasons, your “logic” for staying in a current situation, or do you have one of your own?

• they “only” had 10 to 15 years before retirement
• they stayed for the benefits that their company offered
• they felt they had too much debt to make a change

These reasons may seem like good reasons not to make a change, but they can be viewed in a very different way.

• Instead of seeing it as how many years until retirement, I could see that I had 10 to 15 years of working in a field I loved.
• “Benefits” are all well and good, but if you’re not in a place where your heart is, it can become drudgery to go to work every day, possibly causing you physical or emotional problems.
• Debt is usually attached to material things. Remembering that material things do not make us happy long term is important in obtaining true happiness in life.

Many fields may seem like they don’t make sense, but if a person’s heart is there, it will almost always work out. Pursuing a career for only money or status is often what creates heartaches and a life with many disappointments.

For me, I was most fortunate to have a mother whose influence was to encourage us to follow your heart. Her wish was that all her children attend college, but she didn’t concern herself with what it was that you studied. She felt that education was key to having a comfortable life and we were told we could do anything. And we always had her and our fathers’ support. They may not have agreed with the decisions we made, but they supported us in whichever path we decided to take.

When I made the decision to quit my job and go back to school, I know my father did not understand it.  I had a very good job and to him, it didn’t make sense to leave that behind.  However, it was my decision and he fully supported me. As always, my mother understood that I was following my heart.

Because I followed my heart, I have never looked back nor regretted pursuing Chinese medicine. Follow your heart and the universe will help! The timing may not be what you plan, however, the journey will be enriching and full of surprises.

Featured image by Jesus Kiteque on Unsplash.