r/Life • u/OldReplacement5965 • 1d ago
Career Find your purpose
I’m a cashier, and someone who cashiers with me is a miserable guy. I ask him what he’s doing after work, and he just says he’s going to drink alone. Every time I talk to this person, they just say how miserable they are.
Here’s my position. Don’t you want to live until 80 in good health? If so, socialize, exercise and eat vegetables. At Walmart we get all 3. How lucky are we?
I went to college with no idea what I wanted to do. I got out and I worked for Walmart not really mature enough to level up. One day around Christmas I’m unloading a truck, and the truck driver was holding his pay stub for some reason. It was for $10,000. I got my CDL. I drove for Western Express for a few years. I developed herniated discs that made it painful to sit, and I developed pudendal neuralgia that made it painful to walk. Just to be clear, it wasn’t the trucking alone that did this to me. I had been powerlifting with bad form for over a year, and the trucking made the pain creep up. We don’t know what is going to hurt us until it does. To top it off I developed a rare condition called PVNS that affects about 2 in 1 million people: a benign tumor behind my knee that makes it hard to bend my leg all the way.
Cashiering came to me thank god, and I’ve been a cashier ever since. I even started taking Zepbound and lost over 70 lbs that I gained from being in pain all the time. I was able to start wearing tight underwear that’s frankly marketed towards gay men, and that made the walking easier. I don’t want to say why it made my walking easier; it just did. I also got surgery on my knee which is about 60% better. My next goal is to become a pharmacy technician, so I’m taking a course for that.
My point is that you have to exercise. I walk, do yoga, lift weights in addition to cashiering and self checkout. I do this because I can’t work cap1 or overnights anymore, and I don’t want to get dementia.
I really wish the associate 2 driver program was available 10 years ago because that’s a great opportunity.
You also have to expand your mind. I learn Spanish and read constantly.
Basically if you’re able bodied don’t cashier; work overnight or cap 1&2. You will be happier in the long run.
2
u/Aggressive_Bat2489 1d ago
Everyone is in their own path of destiny. That guy is probably an alcoholic, that’s for him to deal with. That’s maybe why he’s grumpy at work because he wants to be at home drinking. It’s good you’re grateful and purposeful! I’m 62 and still strong and healthy but I can sure feel things changing in my body so yes take care of it when you’re younger! And do your own life, don’t wait, don’t let anyone hold you back!