8.
“I was a bartender making good money in a tourist town, but I had no insurance, retirement plan, or overall stability. I loved it in my 20s, but it was wearing down my body and my mind. I have herniated discs in my back and an ankle injury, and dealing with people in that capacity post-COVID was absolute hell. Most customers became entitled, ill-mannered, and just terrible. Head to toe, I’d given it all I had and couldn’t physically do my job anymore. My mom went to the eye doctor and randomly asked the tech about her job and training, then told me about it. I had a couple of friends who worked in the industry, so I did my own research and decided that it could be a good fit for me.”
“I quit my bartending job and started training as an ophthalmic technician. I love it! It can be challenging, like any job, but being able to help people is incredibly rewarding for me. I work for a top LASIK and cataract surgeon, and being able to be a part of a patient’s sight journey is amazing! I get goosebumps every time I see patients post-op because they’re so happy to see better than they have in years, or ever. I took almost a 50% pay cut for this job, but I have health insurance, benefits, a 401k, a regular schedule, weekends off, and overall job stability. My partner and I want to start a family, so it really made sense for me to do this for our future. I’m so happy I made the change. It was scary, but I’ve never been happier!”
—embneal
Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/hannahdobro/people-changing-careers
