Written by Esther Fernández ’27
Many of us believe that once we reach our destination, the journey is over. But sometimes, the real adventure begins after we think we have arrived.
Three years ago, I made one of the hardest decisions of my life: to leave the career I had dreamed of and worked for since I arrived in the United States more than twenty-five years ago. As an international student, I always felt that my path had to be straight and carefully planned. I could not afford mistakes if I wanted to build a stable life here. I earned my B.A., then my M.A., and finally a Ph.D. in literature. Shortly after finishing my dissertation, I began teaching at a prestigious liberal arts college. Up to that point, my life revolved entirely around teaching and research. I was constantly afraid that what I was doing was not enough, so I never looked beyond my academic work. I was a woman on a mission, focused on publishing, securing tenure, and making a name for myself.
Then life happened.
Unexpected family circumstances in Spain forced me to stop. My life took a complete turn, and for the first time, I had space to reflect. Who am I? What truly makes me happy? What do I want the rest of my life to look like?
And the answer was not academia.
Suddenly, I had to face the loss of an identity I had built for decades. I had to start again, rebuilding, exploring, and experimenting. I also had to understand that this process does not happen overnight. It is a long and ongoing journey of trying new things, adjusting, readjusting, failing, and beginning again. I felt like I was standing at a crossroads, unsure which way to go. I was learning to walk without a map.
It has now been three years since I began this process. While working at Career and Professional Development, one of my supervisors gave me a book called Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. What began as a simple read to spark some ideas completely drew me in.
Burnett and Evans talk about something that felt deeply familiar to me: how to begin again, how to question the ideas we hold about work, success, and professional identity. They encourage us to rethink what success really means, to find happiness in what we do, and to better understand who we are, whether we are undergraduate students, graduate students, or professionals.
One of the most important lessons I have learned is that life and career paths are not straight lines but ongoing processes. We often want certainty and clear direction, but it is on the winding and sometimes messy roads where we discover the most beauty and growth. Career development is one of those roads. Our professional goals are only one stop along the way. Having the right guidance, understanding who you are, what inspires you, and what makes you feel complete are the tools that can turn your career into something that is a truly transformative journey from within.
About the Author
Esther Fernandez ’27 is a master’s student in the Yoga Studies program in the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts at LMU. Esther is also a Career Specialist in Career and Professional Development. She is passionate about self-discovery and reflection, exploring how they shape personal growth and professional paths.
