Success is Subjective: Helping parents of college students accept that dropping out is okay

Episode 89 — It’s Okay to Be a Beginner —with Kellyn Smythe

September 16, 2021 Joanna Lilley, MA, NCC Season 1 Episode 89
Success is Subjective: Helping parents of college students accept that dropping out is okay
Episode 89 — It’s Okay to Be a Beginner —with Kellyn Smythe
Show Notes

Taking that step outside your comfort zone can feel like the scariest thing. But once you take it, you open yourself up to new opportunities within yourself and in the world around you.

Kellyn Smythe, Admissions Director at Pacific Quest, built a lot of his self identity as an emerging adult through pushing himself to be a beginner at new things. This not only really humbled him and allowed him to explore himself, it allowed him to explore the world around him. Through that, Kellyn found his passion for teaching and working with young adults. 

On this episode of Success is Subjective, Kellyn joins Joanna to share his story coming from family dysfunction and how he learned to find his own identity as he grew up and became an adult. Despite the ups and downs of his journey, he was able to find himself in a space where he can now help other young adults in their life journeys. Listen in for insight on how Kellyn continues to push himself in his everyday life, constantly growing and working to be the best dad he can be. 

What You Will Learn

  • Dealing with family dysfunction 
  • Growing up isolated from traditional education 
  • Kellyn’s interesting academic timeline
  • Kellyn’s challenging experience in grad school
  • Having a relationship as a young adult while in school
  • Experiencing an existential crisis from lacking certain life skills
  • Having a community to lean on 
  • Going back to work at the community college he went to 
  • Kellyn’s passion in teaching
  • How Kellyn started working at Pacific Quest and 
  • Pushing yourself to be a beginner in something

Connect with Kellyn Smythe

Connect with Joanna Lilley