My career path is quite atypical, yet, 5 years ago, I was trying to follow the path of a life that was not going to be like me. 

I was always considered a quiet, kind, mature girl for my age. In class, I was the fairly reserved student who gave her all, but was never in the top of the class. I was friends with almost everyone, and I didn't like the idea of being confined to one group of friends. I was more of a follower and not much of a leader, I didn't like the idea of having to decide for others, even though I always liked to guide and advise. 

I started working as a leisure center animator at the age of 16, and I gained maturity and authority (benevolent). I started to understand the importance of education, sharing knowledge and knowing oneself and one's beliefs at that time. I was working with children from various backgrounds and cultures, and even before the age of 12, their view of themselves was already well established. Later, I also met a lot of lost adults, searching for who they are, in spite of their well established life with spouse, children, house, work... I told myself at the time, that it was so important to know who you are, and who you want to be, before building a fixed life, because it was not easy to destroy everything you had built up to that point. In those moments, I wondered why coaching sessions, with a psychologist or a coach, were not imposed on young people. To help them get through adolescence, which let's face it, is a rather ungrateful stage of life, but also to prepare them to enter a healthier adult life, with good foundations. NOBODY would want to build a house on an unbuildable and dangerous ground, however, every day young people, are forced to build themselves, no matter what ground is available to them. Knowing that changing the soil before building is so much easier and faster than doing it later! 

After high school I opted for psychology school, which seemed like the perfect combo of "get a degree" and "do what I love," both of which my parents advised. And honestly, I loved college, just as I had loved high school and even college before that. I loved it, only because I'm a very social person, who loves meeting new people, and I found most of the classes pretty interesting! But when it came time to take the exams, I realized that, despite my best efforts, I was not sure I would pass... I was clearly not cut out for this educational system, which evaluates our ability to retain, spit out and quote a lecture, rather than to think and understand with our hearts. On the day of the third year results, I saw myself missing the diploma, and registering for a make-up exam. And despite my best efforts, and hard work, the verdict was clear, I was going to have to repeat my third year if I wanted my Bachelor's degree. Disappointed, angry and powerless towards this situation, because I was not even 0,3 point short of validating everything, I didn't want to continue anymore, I wanted to give up everything and leave. Leaving seemed so much easier, it was as if I could run away from my responsibilities, I had no choice about my future to take, and finally I was going to live for myself. But reality had caught up with me, and my father's arguments had convinced me, I had to finish my studies or these three years would have been for nothing! Back home, I felt drained of all energy, I had the impression that I had just signed up for a lost year. However, a few weeks later, a break in my fog made me realize how lucky I was. All of my dreams were possible, and it was all thanks to not making it this year. Incredibly, for the first time, I understood that nothing is really negative or positive, because everything is made of both!

"Not everyone was lucky enough to miss out on these studies" is a book by Roland Olivier, which I have not yet read, but the title resonated with me. I had just discovered that what had happened to me was a chance. That year, I was able to validate my semester, and therefore my year, and my degree, but I was also able to do a civic service in a nursery school, to work on weekends and during school vacations, and even to travel to Ireland, to prepare myself for what was to come. In one year, I had saved more money than I could have imagined! So I made the decision early on that after that year I would finally go out and discover who I was. 

Today, I look back with joy on this journey of mine. Never five years ago could I have imagined for one second where I would be today, both in the positive and negative aspects of my life. But one thing is certain, if I had not taken the first step towards a different life, I would not be where I am today. All the learnings, the discoveries, the mistakes and the life lessons that I have learned, I want to share them with you, to show them to you and to offer you the possibility to see all the potential that is in you.