What would that have looked like?
It’s May 2026. About 5 years later.
What would that have looked like?
The background
I was working with my little cousin on an essay about his future, scrolling through my high school Google Account, finding old essays, and reminiscing.
It felt like yesterday I had written down my top college choices, applied, and asked for recommendation letters.
Years later, I smile at my discoveries. I did know Chandra at 18, even at 19. Did I ever not know myself? Did I find myself losing myself?
We gotta talk about the journey of how your younger years are you knowing yourself, forgetting you know you, knowing yourself, and then finally being like, “Nah, I was always her.”
That’s not the point
I read an essay during my findings where I wrote that my career interest was child psychology. For context, in the summer of 2016, I worked at the hospital helping moms after birth, and it fueled my desire to work with children. Plus, my love for children! I truly enjoyed working with them, playing with them, and being a vessel in their success. Still do.
But writing was calling my name as well.
At that time, I was heavy on Wattpad, writing original stories and fanfictions. I’ve come a long way.
So, why no child psychology
While I know I could’ve succeeded in that field and received my degrees and title, it wasn’t aligned with me.
How do I know?
I was sitting at my little cousin’s dinner table and said, “I probably wouldn’t be here right now.” But I knew that kid sitting there needed me, and I’ve been honored to be in their life. It felt like confirmation. I was placed where I am currently because the children around me needed me first, and that came without a healthy student loan bill.
A simple Friday night with a sweet realization: you picked a career that aligned, but God was always in control. He was the pilot before I even got to the cockpit.
I could end it right here.
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The shift
If 16-year-old Chan knew how I fell in love with journalism, fell in love with interviewing (maybe), fell in love with storytelling, she would be proud. She wouldn’t believe the scenes we have seen and what we’re about to see.
And no, we don’t work for a company, but baby, we work for us. We’re building from scratch, and it’s scary, but knowing who my copilot is…makes the journey no worries.
Faith, execution, and impact, because you will always know in some capacity whether you made a good decision or need to fine-tune.
That’s the power of faith.
Do it all
It’s always, “Do it all”, peaceful, positive things please. Don’t be afraid to bet on your crafts because your crafts, your desires, your true interests deserve to shine.
You will find the best success in doing what you love, not in titles, not in compensation.
Sometimes the best feeling comes from hitting publish on your own platform that doesn’t make you a dime, yet.
It’s a longer, less textbook route. It’s a longer, less fast life route, but it’s right for me.
When you know it’s for you. It just hits different.
It’s a personal journey; it doesn’t need an audience. It doesn’t need a VIP row; it’s a personal journey.
But that’s not why we’re here
So, what would life look like if I became the psych?
I guess we won’t find out in this lifetime, because I am Chandra Alilijah, the writer, the creator, and the fashionista with the groovy blog.
Choose you.
With Love,
Chandra