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__** Be Happy **__ Perhaps some of you have, at some time or another, heard this excerpt from the Robert Frost poem The Road Not Taken: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” Maybe you even liked it or wanted to really take it to heart and try to live your life like no one else. But have any of you really considered taking a totally different path in life? When you were a kid I bet you had some far-fetched ideas about what you would do when you grew up. Before you knew what was expected of you, and you just wanted to do something you liked.

For example when I was about six I wanted to be a professional dog trainer. I thought I had it all down, I already taught my dog how to sit, so I was practically an expert, plus I would get to spend all my time with dogs. It sounded like the perfect idea until someone said I should be a doctor because I would make more money. Obviously six year old me hadn’t been thinking about salary or how much to save for retirement, because after that I decided not to be a dog trainer. Maybe when you were little you wanted to be movie star, an athlete, or a dog trainer like me. Kids have no concept of money or a good profession, so It was probably when you became older that you got a grip on the reality that everyone is supposed to go to college. And then like most you realized that to live a good life you would have to do the same. So instead of thinking about what you would do with your life, and all the possibilities in the world, you ventured out into the road that everyone’s taken.

Here at Foothill after our rigorous AP year you might plan on going straight to a university after you graduate. Maybe you hope to become a doctor, a lawyer, a nurse, or just some cubicle dweller in some office with no windows and sad grey carpet. I’m not saying that any of these things are wrong, because they might be the right choice for you, but before choosing a profession because you think it will make you more money, consider what would make you happy. Do something with your life that you are passionate about.

According to a study performed by Shane Lopez, a senior scientist for Gallup, only 13% of people love their jobs. This means that 87% of American workers do not love their jobs. This fact worries me. I can’t imagine growing old and falling into a job I hate, and what boggles my mind is that people still go to work even when it makes themselves miserable. According to a Gallup poll, as of yesterday, only 31.1% of employees feel engaged at work. This is the majority of people, disengaged, and unhappy in their workplaces. The average American worker works about 1789 hours per year. It’s a shame to waste all that time every year doing something without passion or engagement. I wish we lived in an America where everyone could hold a job they enjoyed. I wish that the people who didn’t enjoy their work were able to search for their true passion. For so many people work is the most dreaded part of the day, so imagine how nice it must be living with a great job, being in that small 13% of people who love working. Waking up in the morning would be easier, and life would be generally more enjoyable. I know this is an overly idealist hope for America, but I am an idealist and it is a nice thought.

So rather than just lecturing you on choosing your passion in life and more depressing statistics about unhappy Americans, I want to provide you with some options- sort of like a more fun employment officer. So here are some jobs you may have never considered before that could just spark your passion in life.

__Awards show seatfiller:__ make the audience think the event has a full house by maybe getting to sit next to Leonardo DiCaprio- and get paid. __Professional Cuddler:__ reassuring lonely people in our modern world by spooning- and getting paid. __Chocolate Taster:__ with no formal chocolate education, you could travel the world tasting all the chocolate you want, and get paid for it. Heck, any food or drink you love, you can be a taste tester for it. Beer and ale, bourbon, wine, dog food -whatever- taste tester. __Automotive Journalist:__ If you like driving fancy cars, or just regular cars, you could review them- and get paid. You can be a paranormal investigator, a disneyland princess, a professional “wingman/wingwoman/wing person” or whatever you want to be that is more realistic that my examples.

Its really the people in your life, and the experiences that you have that make you happy. While having more money does usually increase quality of life, it can’t buy you happiness. I’m not saying that making a lot of money is bad, but in a career, you should seek happiness before money. If you want to become a CEO of a Fortune 500 company, or a freelance journalist, you should do it and be happy. I hope I have made at least some of you think more about your future and what will make you truly happy. I hope that all of you can one day find a life that you love.

Sources http://content.wisestep.com/jobs-that-people-love-the-most-to-do-happiest-careers/ TEDx Shane Lopez https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9b0fi7p3Ts http://www.businessinsider.com/weird-jobs-youll-be-surprised-to-know-exist-2015-7 http://www.gallup.com/poll/180404/gallup-daily-employee-engagement.aspx https://data.oecd.org/emp/hours-worked.htm http://cooljobs.com/