Choosing my path

Before I get into the nitty gritty of what I do, let me tell you how I started doing it. For some, this may be boring stuff. For others who are interested in what I do and looking for some insight on how to get there, this will be an answer of many. My way to becoming an officiant/relationship educator is only one way.

So let’s go back to my degree. I majored in Human Development and Family Science at The University of Georgia. This is in the college of Family and Consumer Sciences. Our department has a saying, “What CAN’T you do with HDFS?”. I studied people from in utero to the grave and the bilateral relationship they have with the world around them. Fascinating stuff, honestly. It is a fairly different approach to Psychology majors. I was on the intervention track which allowed me to take classes like “Family Systems” and “Family Intervention”. I always knew I wanted to do therapy and work with couples.

Fast forward from a chipper freshman to an overzealous senior with no job in sight, and I was grasping for straws. Fun fact, really sad fact: I applied to 22 jobs after graduation and didn’t get any (seems like God had bigger plans). I ended up working part time as an After School Program teacher because I refused to be one of those people who didn’t use their degree. I was also planning my wedding, so the extra time was convenient. In the mean time, because God is in the details, I ran across PREPARE-ENRICH through an old classmate on LinkedIn. I did my research and made my first investment into my business. This was in December 2016. I became certified and began working with clients in the Spring of 2017. I didn’t always work for myself, though. I ended up getting a job as a Food and Nutrition Education supervisor with UGA Extension for 7 months. I quit for many reasons, the best one was to control my path.

So how did I become an officiant? Well, that is a quicker answer. One of my close friends wanted me to officiate their wedding. Other couples I’ve worked with wanted me to officiate their weddings. I wasn’t an officiant. Then I became one. I promise, the process to get ordained online was quicker than it took for you to read this blog. Becoming an officiant was one of the best things I did for my business. I love helping couples create a beautiful, unique ceremony that they’ll look back on in fondness for the rest of their lives. Getting to know their love story and becoming a small part of it is special.

This is a very bare bones account of my story, but it is just the beginning. Fairly soon, I am going to start training college students who are on this same track: confused on life after college, not wanting to work for other people, a passion for helping couples, looking for extra income outside of their day job.

Want a little bit more? Listen to the podcast to hear the details and commentary.