New career path, new baby, no problem

A couple of years ago, Samantha Rafferty was working as a project manager.

“I was good at what I did, but I wasn’t excited to go to work everyday,” said Rafferty who lives in Lake Charles, Louisiana. “I was jealous of the creatives that I was managing.”

So, she quit her job, applied to school and was accepted into Boston Architectural College. A couple weeks later, Rafferty found out she was pregnant with her first child.

But despite the head-spinning timeline of events, Rafferty wouldn’t have had it any other way. And while juggling school and a new child on only her husband’s income has been challenging, Rafferty feels the reward was always worth the risk.

“Honestly, becoming a mom has made this more meaningful. I hope it’s something she learns from me,” said Rafferty. “That you need to be willing to change direction, even if it’s scary, to build the life you want.”

To hear the full story, click the audio player above.