I always knew that I wanted to work for myself
It’s all happening.
My first jobs
Dear Reader,
What were your first summer jobs? I started working for myself when I was nine. While the income certainly didn't rival my official jobs that came later, I loved the experience. My cousin and I would harvest my dad's tomatoes and then strap them onto our bikes and ride around my neighborhood selling them door-to-door. We had a pretty good little business summer after summer, but in retrospect, we probably should have given my dad a bit of the profits since he grew such amazing tomatoes.
After that I baby sat from about ages 11-14. This worked out pretty well too. I mainly just babysat for one little boy whose mother worked a 9-5 job M-F. This was a great gig since the little boy was a sweetheart, and he basically wanted to hang out outside for most of the day and ride his bike or play kickball with the neighborhood kids. Then, once he got involved in camps, and was basically old enough to stay at home alone (at least by 1980s standards), that job ended and I had to head out into the real world of crappy teenage jobs.
Working for someone else just never felt right
My first official job was working at an amusement park, and after about five minutes on the job, I knew that I really disliked working for someone. This was a hot, at times emotionally trying job, with horrible bosses and owners who did not care about their workers. At the time, they did not even allow the ride operators to have water at their rides. Before I left, I fought long and hard for this ridiculous "rule" to be a thing of the past. I'm proud to say, that I changed things for the better, and then I made my exit. I was on to bigger and better things. I was going to have a job where proper hydration was mandatory. I was going to be a lifeguard.
Lifeguarding
I decided that I wanted to be a lifeguard, so I got my lifesaving certificate along with first aid and CPR and I was ready to get a job. This really did open up a lot of opportunities for me. Lifeguarding jobs were literally everywhere, and actually, the pay was pretty great at the time. Added bonus, I got to hang out outside and jump in the pool when I was hot. For a person who loves summer and swimming, this seemed like a perfect combination. I eventually also got my WSI (water safety instructor) certification, so I could teach swimming and lifeguarding classes. I lifeguarded all over, from gyms, to hotels, to townhouse and condo communities, and even though I technically still worked for bosses (who weren't always that great), I was working as more of a contracted employee, and I had skills that were in demand. I lifeguarded throughout high school and college, and the year before I started grad school. I spent so much time swimming that I literally used to have recurring dreams where I was on busy city streets where everyone else was walking and I was swimming in the air. My lifeguarding career ended when I went out west to go to grad school.
How things turned out
While I continued to work for people here and there throughout my time in school, and later to support myself so I could have time to write, I knew that I ultimately had to work for myself in order to feel happy and fulfilled. I'm happy to say that after many years, I've created that for myself. I am by no means rich, but I am definitely grateful and fulfilled.
Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great week,
Christa
Special thanks to the folks who came out to my shows this weekend. I appreciate your support.
Thanks for reading-I’m glad you’re here.