I like to think I’m a practical decision-maker. I can point to dozens of things I’ve made calculated, thoughtful decisions on, from the car I drive to the credit card I use.

But if I’m honest, a lot of my equally impactful decisions (switching majors in college, moving back home to northern Wisconsin) weren’t always made with careful, faultless logic.

Part of me doesn’t like to admit that. But letting your heart have some say isn’t always a bad thing. Needs and wants change, and more important, goals change. My goals for my life are completely different than my plans 10 years ago. But that is without a doubt a good thing.

I spent quite a few years after college figuring out what I actually wanted to do. I was so jealous of people who knew their path early on and pursued it single-mindedly. I was good at a lot of things, didn’t feel particularly great at too many, and was deeply passionate about even less.

I still worked hard at what I was doing and was always committed to where I was at the time — but where I wanted to be and what I wanted to do was always changing. However, that little bit of aimlessness led me back to my hometown, where I eventually applied to work for a company that I’d heard of but didn’t really know much about.

I started out as a proofreader at COLE Publishing, doing one of the things I have always consistently loved: reading. The fact that I was reading magazines about the water and wastewater industries didn’t make it any less fun for me. In fact, I enjoyed it — it was my first job where I was literally learning something new every day.

Eventually I moved on to a digital editor position, writing and editing content for our publications’ websites that supplement the magazines. I was nervous at first because I was happy proofing. I was good at it, and it’s hard to leave something comfortable for the unknown. But practical decision-makers also focus on choosing the right thing to do, and the move was the next logical step.

After working as a digital editor for a few years, it didn’t occur to me at first to even contemplate the position of editor for Cleaner magazine when it became available. When it did cross my mind, I immediately dismissed it. I didn’t feel ready. I was again at a comfortable place where I knew what I was doing and wanted to stick with it.

But after taking some time to consider it, I realized being nervous about something challenging doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea. I just respected the position and was worried about doing it justice. I wasn’t bored with my current workload, but I also want to keep learning and improving at what I do, so I decided to go for it.

Fortunately for me, the former editor, Luke Laggis, sits about 20 feet from me and can help me out with my many questions. My goal is to continue his legacy of providing you with great stories that hopefully help you learn and grow in your business. My years proofing those stories and my digital editor role have given me a tremendous respect for this industry — and I know I have a lot more to learn.

I don’t say all this in the hopes that you’ll find my story inspiring. It’s far from that. But I hope the next time you’re faced with a decision to stretch yourself a little or stick with what you know, you’ll view that challenge as an opportunity and embrace it. It’s worth it.

I hope you enjoy this month’s issue.