Bridging Human Care and Financial Wellness

Back in college, I dipped my toe into finance - spreadsheets, economic theory, and long hours staring at numbers that felt far removed from real life. It never quite clicked. It felt abstract and disconnected from the kind of impact I wanted to make. So, I dropped out of Finance class 101. I ran, but really - sprinted toward something that did feel meaningful: nursing. Real people. Real problems. A real chance to make a difference. No formulas; just humans.

And, for a long time it worked. I learned what it meant to show up for people in the darkest moments of their lives. I knew how to prioritize ten things at once, with a full bladder and no lunch. I became a calm presence in chaos - sort of. But, over time the weight of it started to stick. The emotional toll, the burnout, the "I'm exhausted, but I can't sleep" kind of tired. It snuck in over time, disguised as just another hard day, until it became the norm.

Cue the existential spreadsheet.

The field I once fled - not out of fear or disdain... but thanks to a fortunate mix of timing, crossing new-old paths with the right people, and a deep, relentless hunger to learn - something I'll always be grateful for... I was called back to the abstract world of finance. Nursing offered immediacy, impact, and a deep human connection. But now, with more life behind me, I see finance differently. It's not just numbers, but stories told in data. Patterns. Risk. Strategy. It is human behavior playing out on a graph. I hadn't actually hated finance; I just wasn't ready for it then. I hadn't lived enough to recognize the emotional side of security, the weight of financial stress, or the real-world consequences of not knowing where to start with money.

I see that I can still help people - just in a different way. In nursing, I helped patients navigate medical crises. In finance, I can help individuals and families make sense of their financial lives, find stability, and feel empowered instead of overwhelmed. Whether it's guiding someone toward a healthier future or supporting a company that puts people first, the core mission is still the same: improve lives.

So I switched. Again. But this time, I brought the empathy with me.

I'm not walking away from nursing entirely. And, it's not just as a backup plan, but a reflection of how deeply that chapter shaped me. It taught me how to trust my instincts, how to meet people where they are, and how to stay calm and clear when the stakes are high. That mindset still guides me, whether I'm reading a medical chart or a market trend.

Now, I'm diving into finance not as a dropout, but as a survivor - of burnout, of doubt, of doing everything "right" and still not feeling whole. I don't regret nursing. I carry it with me. It made me who I am: someone who listens closely, leads with heart, and knows that behind every data point is a human being. And the best part? I'm not starting over. I'm building on something solid. My career crisis had a midlife crisis, but it led me somewhere honest.

If you're in that weird in-between space, just know: it's okay to backtrack, pivot, even revisit what you once walked away from. Sometimes, it takes a detour to find the version of you that's finally ready.