You're reading I Crossed the Ocean to Find My Purpose, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you're enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
Inspired to start a global journey and make a difference, I arrived energized and happy, not knowing what it would take for me to find my purpose and start building a meaningful career.
Here is how it went:
- I moved to the U.S. as an international student from the Netherlands.
- I got rejected by Fortune 500 companies because they didn't want to take the risk.
- They would have to sponsor my visa.
- I had two Master's Degrees, experience at global and local companies, worked with the United Nations, co-founded two companies, and had a LinkedIn network of 1,200+ connections.
- All my education is in English and I have knowledge of 5 other languages.
- I sacrificed everything for my education and career to be here. Family, friends, promotions and most of all, comfort.
This is what had to be done:
- I grinded to find volunteer opportunities and attended networking events every week.
- I had to fight to learn the laws, regulations and educate myself to understand how to succeed here.
- I studied at UCLA Extension and started guest lecturing to my peers to help them get hired and advance their career.
- I developed a course at UCLA to become a lecturer and became a UCLA One mentor.
- I found a job in Higher Education to make a difference for other students.
- I am now a Climate Leader at CSUN's Institute for Sustainability, in the first-ever Cal State University Sustainability Center, among its 23 established campuses across California.
This is my New Year's wish for everyone:
Don't give up on your dreams! When you find your purpose, hold onto it or find the resources to pursue it. I did it. You can do it too!
Connect with me through LinkedIn.
"If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?" For Misha Kouzeh, it would be empowering students to achieve their highest potential by fighting hunger, combatting climate change, pursuing equality or eliminating poverty. Because they're the change makers of our future.
Born and raised in the Netherlands, Misha Kouzeh moved as an international student from the other side of the ocean to Los Angeles in 2015 to pursue her American dream. Inspired to start a global journey and make a difference, she arrived energized and happy, not knowing what it would take for her to find her purpose and start creating a legacy.
Today, she is a lecturer at California State University Northridge as well as UCLAx and works as a Climate Leader at CSUN's Institute for Sustainability, in the first-ever Cal State University Sustainability Center, among its 23 established campuses across California.
In her upcoming TEDx CSUN talk, "Find your purpose to create your LEGACY", she will explain how her self-developed 5-T framework got her to where she is now: Travel, Trial, Tribe, Teach and Thrive. Fun fact: she knows 6 languages and dreams in a different language depending on the topic.
You've read I Crossed the Ocean to Find My Purpose, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you've enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.