Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Sandoval
Christina, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I used to be a Kindergarten teacher and thought I would teach my whole life. I still love teaching and it has inspired me to move into counseling. Working with children was so great and I found my passion for helping those students who needed it the most. This eventually led me to working in higher education as an academic counselor and instructor. Today I have a private practice in career & life coaching, helping young adults find the right career, build success skills and become more marketable to land a good job. It’s very rewarding and I’m grateful to be able to do this work. I just followed my heart and took chances. I didn’t let my fear of the unknown stop me from making changes in my career along the way. That can be really intimidating. I had to find a way to build my confidence.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Changing a career after working so hard (going to school and gaining experience) for the one you thought would be it for the long term and then having to start at the beginning again is not easy. Applying for jobs and not hearing back is no picnic. And being rejected for jobs, interview after interview is crushing and frustrating. It takes a lot of energy and and effort, like a full-time job to find work. So, it definitely has not been a smooth road, but I always say; it can be worse. I think with any path you choose, you come across bumps in the road (setbacks, learning curve, disappointment, etc.). That’s part of the journey as you build and create the career and lifestyle you envision for yourself. Luckily, there’s also lots of wins and growth to encourage you through. I’m a firm believer that any small or big effort you put in will eventually pay off. It’s logic, right. If you make changes that align with your intentions, the outcome will be what you worked toward, even with the bumps in the road. Let’s look at those bumps as growing pains! Without those failures/setbacks, there’s no learning of how to do it better and therefore no improvement. So I like to see these as feedback and learning opportunities, rather than grand failures you can’t recover from. I love Michael Jordan’s quote “I have failed over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.”
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My private practice is based in Los Angeles but I take clients from anywhere in the world, as my one-on-one coaching sessions are virtual (video conference). I also give workshops virtually or in person. Any team-building events such as retreats, trainings or workshops are held in person or virtually, based on client needs. I truly love to guide people to reach a point of revelation that is already in them, like their strengths/gifts/purpose. It brings me joy to help people build their success skills including confidence, communication and leadership. Everyone is unique. I keep my prices affordable because it is really my goal to help those who can really use the guidance. I’m excited to share that I published my first book in November, 2024! This is a guide for young adults to help with their career journey. I’m really enjoying connecting with the community in a personal and career development capacity to give back by volunteering as a mentor and spreading the word about my services and book and posting tips and inspiration on my Instagram account (@_christinasandoval. I hope to connect with many of your readers to learn from and to be a resource for.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My supporters have always been my parents and my sister! No matter what I do in life, they always cheer me on and help me believe I can do it. I’m grateful for the support of my close friends as well. Having a close knit support system like this is so key. Brainstorming with them and exchanging ideas and different perspectives about work and how to serve the community has been so valuable. It has helped me be more intentional and creative while pursuing my own business. I’ve been able to feed off of their positivity and get energized to keep going. I have appreciated that so much.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.christinasandoval.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_christinasandoval/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-sandoval-2245249/
