My colleagues at every job always say "you are the most positive person I know". I think if only they knew. I haven't always been this way; I'm usually the most unhappy, depressed, disillusioned person in the room, and I still have bad days, but I know how to feel, cope, and keep my expectations real. There comes a time in a person's life when they are given the opportunity to make an impact on their life or the life of another and sometimes that impact is as simple as a few words or a sentence. I had that someone and those few words to change my life. I now live as a positive influence to others. My impact on people is through leadership. We can address poverty, abuse, and disease, but it is not possible to successfully eradicate them without optimal mental determination. You can give a person food, shelter, clothing, education, but if he is not psychologically capable of grasping or understanding the opportunity before him, the chances of success are unlikely. I have worked in various fields, but they have all addressed the effects on special populations. I studied natural disasters and their effects on populations in the United States and Europe, was a prison guard for mental health facilities and then a special education teacher, and later worked in a couple of shelters as an aide which led to my current position as a mental health case manager at the Andrews Center. Throughout my experience, I have seen the same patterns. People who had various types of resources around them could not yet live productive or functional lives. In speaking with many of these individuals, I learned that something in their lives had prevented them from moving from victim to survivor. Some people needed motivation, some succeeded, and some refused to move forward and make changes. Vic... middle of the paper... I would recommend them too. I feel like my mission in life is to help heal and guide. I am able to do this through positive people, resources, mentors, and the support of the church. My faith kept me going, but it was my God who provided the way. My mission in life is to counsel and advocate for others and I believe that being a professional counselor will allow me to be the most effective in helping people recover. Have a team that goes into rural areas and homes to counsel and pray for those who need help but for whatever reason have difficulty getting it. My experiences, good or bad, have made me humble, knowledgeable, cultured, and compassionate. I truly believe that God has placed me in this position my entire life, and after careful consideration of my skills, passion, and commitment, I believe that counseling should be my life's mission. I will always try to help others.