6:00 AM: My alarm rings, and I reach for my textbook instead of my reporter’s notebook. The morning routine that once involved scanning news headlines and preparing for editorial meetings now centers around reviewing health-related terms and reading, before everyone wakes up. It’s a change that still feels surreal sometimes, but one that I’ve grown to embrace.
The Early Days in Journalism
I remember the excitement I felt when I first stepped into a newsroom. The constant buzz of activity, the adrenaline rush of breaking news, and the profound responsibility of being a voice for others, particularly being the voice for Latinos. It was everything I’d dreamed of since journalism school. Those first few years were transformative. Each story I covered felt like it mattered, each interview an opportunity to shed light on important issues.
When the Spark Began to Fade
But slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, something began to change. The stories that once energized me started to feel routine. The long hours and constant deadlines I’d once thrived on began wearing me down. It wasn’t just burnout – it was a deeper realization that I wasn’t growing in the way I needed to. The spark began to fade during the onset of COVID-19 in 2020. I remember writing story after story, based on information provided by the local health department. I was intrigued to keep learning about the current state of the world during my off hours. I knew that I could do more with my life and decided I wanted to make a change but wasn’t sure how. From then on, it still took me four years to start my first online class.
A Day in My New Life
Now, my days look completely different:
Online psychology class. As I sit in front of my computer with a coffee in one hand and pen in another, taking detailed notes about the mind and behavior, I sometimes catch myself thinking about how different this is from my journalism days. Yet there’s a familiar excitement in learning something new, in building a foundation of knowledge that will directly impact people’s lives.
The Common Thread
What I’ve realized is that what drew me to journalism – the desire to help people, to make a difference in their lives – is the same force pulling me toward healthcare. The difference is that now, instead of telling people’s stories, I’ll be directly involved in their healing journeys.
Looking Forward
Starting over isn’t easy, especially when you’re leaving behind a career you once loved. But there’s something incredibly freeing about choosing to change direction, about admitting that it’s okay for our dreams to evolve.
The textbooks on my iPad may have replaced my reporter’s notebook, but the core of who I am – someone who cares deeply about making a positive impact – remains the same. It’s just taking a different form now, one that feels more aligned with who I’ve become.
I give myself daily reminders, that every major life change comes with its share of uncertainty. But sometimes the most powerful stories we tell are the ones about our transformations.
To my fellow career-changers and late bloomers: it’s never too late to write a new chapter. The skills you’ve developed in your previous career aren’t lost – they’re just waiting to be applied in new and unexpected ways.
End note: I may have left journalism, but I’ll always be a storyteller. Now I’m just preparing to be part of a different kind of story – one of healing.