A PUSH INTO
INTERIOR DESIGN
It was a cold, busy February afternoon when an elderly client walked into my co-worker’s office at our bank. As he sat down and greeted his financial representative, the well-respected man began to vent. I couldn’t help but overhear his life story, which ultimately changed the course of my career. With absolutely no artistic background, I went from working at the bank to working for the federal government of Canada as an interior designer. I still remember the days I sat in my office at the bank, wondering what was next for my career. At the time I was working as a customer representative during the day and studying pure & applied sciences in the evening. As I started to get comfortable with my position in the bank, I left my studies and was determined to pursue a lifelong career in finance. That man’s words on that cold February afternoon
One Man’s Regrets and a Job Change Pushed Priscille Joseph into her Dream Career. changed my plans and pushed me into a new field. At 92 years old, with no family, wife, or children, the man shared how he looked back on his life with regrets. His parents taught him to “save, save, save.” They told him “If you work hard and save, you’ll retire a millionaire.” He did just that. The man retired a millionaire, but his money brought him little joy. He couldn’t travel because of his age; he had no family to call his own, so his lifelong earnings would eventually go to charity and the government. He admitted, “I did not live life to the fullest.” His regrets, not enjoying the day-today, plagued his daily thoughts in his old age. The words of the elderly
man sank in my heart and mind that day. His story played over and over in my mind. I couldn’t get rid of his long list of regrets and lack of satisfaction with achieving a status of wealth. A week later, my boss informed me that my position would no longer exist due to an unforeseen company restructure. With no clear career path, I was forced to reconsider my career in the financial industry. Since my father had experience in interior renovation, interior design peaked my interest from the list of trades. I was fascinated with how a space can be transformed, but there were many aspect of the creative field that I felt unsure about. The seeming lack of consistent income worried me. I didn’t know how many jobs
