My Early PAhood Experience

           Looking back on when I began my path to PAhood, I can confidently say it was not an easy one. In fact, it was not even a straight line during those early years— it was more like a circuitous first path before I was able to settle down in my journey. In a word, it was more like a tough, dizzying roller coaster ride, while trying to thrive and navigate or hang on to the rough workplace “terrain” ahead of me.

Surviving an arduous career beginning without an employer’s or co-worker’s support can be daunting. Especially as a young PA graduate. On many occasions, it felt impossible to see the light at the end of the tunnel given the daily struggles trying to fit in while sidestepping difficult departmental or organizational politics or even toxic work-group dynamics. 

It is in these sticky situations where you have to grab yourself by the bootstraps and be patient with yourself and others. Keep in mind that mastering any learning curve is not going to happen overnight, no matter how much indirectly or directly you are made to feel pressured. As the old saying goes: Rome wasn’t built in one day–the same goes for any great careerist.

Do not saboteur yourself by allowing others to minimize you and rob you of your confidence. In due time you will become effective and proficient as you continue to develop your base knowledge and skillset. Experiential learning is an incremental process. Things and fact patterns will become easier to recognize while you continue to forge ahead and mature professionally in your craft. 

        In retrospect, I wish I would have been kinder to myself in those early days. Yet, sometimes we must go through these growing pains either early on or intermittently in a mid-career phase. But, in the end, the bottom line is all about respecting and asserting yourself confidently even when others may not honor your efforts or learning disposition you would like or prefer. Sadly, you may be bound to encounter some of these malignant folks along your path. Be resilient, and remain true to your goals. Be resolute…be focused, and always be measured and you will not be easily derailed by these career derailers. Moreover, and in essence, that is the best-guaranteed way to a very fulfilled PAhood experience.