Career Roadmap
Heather's work combines: Writing, Education, and Communicating / Sharing Stories
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
English Language and Literature, General
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Poets, Lyricists & Creative Writers:
High School
Bachelor's Degree: English Language and Literature, General
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
I made sure to study something I loved in college - English Lit.
2.
I was too scared upon graduating to follow my passion, so I went for the money.
3.
Stayed in soul sucking jobs for way too long and did my writing on the side.
4.
Then I had my son. He was diagnosed with ADHD at age 6.
5.
I spent all my free time researching things to help him, to help me, to help his teachers.
6.
I had a wealth of information and met other parents who were lost. I wanted to help them too.
7.
I left the soul sucking jobs to write to parents to help them not feel alone in their ADHD journey.
8.
I had my first article published within 3 weeks of beginning to write about ADHD. I'm still going...
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Society in general:
Why are you majoring in English? You can only be a teacher with that degree. There's no money in teaching. EVERYONE wants to be a writer but it hardly happens. Unless you're Stephen King.
How I responded:
STOP LISTENING! Everyone has an opinion but you have the choice not to listen to them. I'm always polite but I stay true to me. I know I have something important to say. I know my writing helps people. And this is all I have to know. All I need to listen to is me; what do I want, what is right for me and how will I feel after doing what I chose. You will never be able to please everyone no matter how hard you try. Make you happy.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I've heard people say ADHD isn't real, it's wild kids whose parents don't discipline. I've heard I'm a bad mom if I medicate & I'm a bad mom if I don't. I had to ask myself, what was best for MY son. Not everyone agrees. They don't have to.