I draw my sense of purpose & contentment in the humdrums of my work. From the casual interactions with clients, to answering questions posed by their curious relatives, these seemingly normal contacts truly define my career. They challenge me in the simplest yet most effective of ways- keeping me on toes and building the defining traits needed for an addiction counsellor. A query I often encounter in my interactions is, ‘how do you do it?’ My line of work, like everyone else’s, has stereotypes like ‘counsellors are all-knowing, angel-personified beings’. Understandably, this notion leads society to hold me and fellow professionals in high regard. Navigating life with such an expectation would have been cumbersome except, the stereotype is false and my imperfect life is proof. Parents and their kin have to swallow a bitter pill prior to accepting change. That transition is rough, dramatic and at times painful and leading them through this takes patience, empathy and compassion. These core traits cannot be built by living perfect lives, but by living life as is- building resilience and self growth. This is how I do it. Helping parents and their children reclaim their lives from addiction. As we usher in the month of love, let’s learn to love and embrace life’s imperfections. Happy February!