What have you gained personally from your professional experience and vice versa?

Hopefully it has made me a better driver in my private life as well.
As for a better person probably not I still rather dislike the average person and their screw ball ways.

I work in a creative field. A couple of fields really.

I learned one thing early on that has helped me survive and not become the stereotypical “starving artist”. Be flexible.

I started in architecture as a draftsman and model builder but pivoted to illustration then to event design then to print design then to web design then to teaching art & design then to storytelling.

In all cases, it’s been a matter of reading the landscape, staying up on the latest technology and processes and taking risks.

It hasn’t always been easy, but this flexibility has allowed me to evolve as an artist and stay gainfully employee for almost thirty years.

I work as a registered nurse on a general medical unit. Nursing has completely changed my life. I never realized how “sheltered” I was on the world around me.

It has definitely helped me become a better person. I’m more open minded, I can agree to disagree without getting offended. I’ve grown thick skin and developed some strong coping skills. I’ve learned I’m passionate about helping others, and I’ve learned that it’s ok to not know everything, but never stop learning!! There’s always room from improvement.

Examples: My nicest patient ever was a hardcore heroin user. He had a deeply disturbing past and the stigma on drug addicts doesn’t help his situation. Unfortunately he’s in end stage liver disease due to his drug use. Before nursing, I might have thought of him as a bum, no good to society, etc. Now I view him as someone with different life circumstances as me. He’s had a tough life, but what I most remember is his kindness. And maybe I’m wrong, but I think kindness is the strongest quality someone can have. So I have all respect for him. The last thing he ever said to me was “you have a warm heart. You are going to change the world”. I teared up.

I could go on and on with examples, but I won’t. Just remember, you are so blessed to live the life that you do. Make the most of it!

Nothing is permanent.
Trust no one.
At the first sign of trouble, start looking for something else.

Early retirement.

Wow, @Sunshinegirl11, you’re on your way to becoming extremely wise!! Good luck to you!