Chase Your Passion...once you find out what it is.
Hello everyone!!! It is a beautiful morning in my neck of the woods and even if it was raining, and windy it would still be a beautiful day. You know why? Because I love my job. My job is my passion and my passion is assisting veterans, While my main area of concentration is employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, I am a resource provider. In other words (as the New Yorker in me likes to say), I'm a guy who knows a guy. I connect transitioning service members, veterans and their spouses to some of the best resources and opportunities in the country. And it's all done right here in Virginia.
Now what does that have to do with anything you might ask? Well my friends, it has to do with everything. If you look at my LinkedIn page, you can see that I have been a jack of all trades. I did a lot of things that I loved, but it wasn't until I had the opportunity to work for the Virginia Department of Veteran Services that I realized what my passion is, and that's service to others. In my case, others = veterans. Nothing is as satisfying to me as the feeling that I get when I have connected one of my warrior brothers or sisters to a potential life changing job but even more rewarding is helping those who feel the system has abandoned them. The ones that need housing, have had brushes with the law, or are continuing the battle that they thought they left behind once they took off the uniform but connecting them to professionals who can help them meet those battles head on.
Everyone has a passion. Everyone has that one thing that motivates them to get better at what they do. Sometimes you know what it is. Sometimes you have to search for it. Sometimes if you are lucky as I was, it finds you. This passion doesn't have to be a job. It can be found in volunteer work or at your local house of worship or something that you like to do on your spare time. The point is that you need to find that passion and you need to live it. Don't be scared to experiment. To try new things. Listen to what people are telling you as they will see things that you are good at that you don't. If you are lucky, you can make a living doing it, but regardless, find that thing that makes you feel alive, that satisfies the need inside you, whatever it is. And let that love filter out to the rest of your life. You will find your entire existance take on a more positive direction and might find yourself happier over all.
Remember if you are a transitioning service member, veteran or spouse of one, check out The Virginia Department of Veteran Services at https://www.dvs.virginia.gov/ to see the benefits you get for living, working and playing in Virginia. And reach out to me if you need help transitioning.