We all think we could do a better job at most things. From the outside looking in, it is easy to criticize others. Until you have walked a mile in their shoes, you shouldn’t be so quick to judge.

• Food Service- Being a server can be very stressful and is not always that rewarding. You are on your feet for hours at a time, waiting on hangry (hungry + angry) customers with a smile. Dealing with rude, impatient, dirty, and inconsiderate people of all ages is part of the job. You are not allowed to be in a bad mood and you get blamed for pretty much everything. To top it off, you make less than minimum wage and have to depend on these customers for tips. You will learn tolerance, patience, how to work at a fast pace, and how to be more personable. Learning to manage stressful situations and how to multitask will help you in your daily life as well as any career you choose.

• Teacher- It is obvious that teachers are not in it for the money. Educators have one of the most underpaid and under appreciated jobs in America, yet we entrust them with our children. They are faced with unrealistic expectations set by the state, sometimes the school district, and the students’ parents. Teachers not only teach our children to read, write, and do math, but they teach them life skills too. They often spend their own money on classroom supplies and paying for a needy students’ lunch or a pair of shoes that fit. Teachers learn to get creative and think outside the box in order to reach all students. They open their heart and their mind because they care for each of their students.

• Customer Service- Anyone that has ever worked in customer service understands how mean and unreasonable people can be. Individuals in the support field are usually treated poorly and blamed for things they have nothing to do with, and then asked to fix it. Working in customer service will teach you attentive listening and problem solving skills. Customers just want to be heard. Listening to them vent can be tough, but stay calm and patiently listen to them. Once you are able to comprehend the issue, you can work towards finding a remedy, even if it is just helping them understand the situation better.

• Doctor/Nurse- Can you imagine having someone else’s life in your hands, literally? Doctors and nurses work long hours to provide medical treatment to everyone. They are smart and go through years of schooling and training to get their license or certification. They work in extremely stressful situations and have to make split second decisions that could be deadly if they are wrong. They cannot afford to make a mistake like other professions. The pressure alone would be enough to drive most people crazy. Doctors and nurses never stop learning and are not afraid to try new things. Working in the ever-changing medical field will also teach you to appreciate human life. Life is short and shouldn’t be taken for granted.

• Animal Shelter or Rescue Worker- Animal neglect and cruelty is a problem in the U.S. There are millions of animals in shelters all over the country that are waiting to be adopted. Just visiting a city pound to see firsthand the hundreds of homeless animals is heartbreaking. The rescue workers employed there are usually either volunteers or do not make a lot of money, yet they continue to give so much of themselves. They work hard to care for, or even rehabilitate, stray, starved, abused, abandoned, or neglected animals and sometimes that isn’t enough. If these creatures do not get a home, they will likely be euthanized. This can be devastating to these employees. Helping animals that cannot help themselves is a selfless act. Working at, or even just visiting, a local animal shelter will teach you love and compassion.

• Social Services- Much like animal welfare workers, social services work with those who cannot always help themselves. Children are vulnerable and highly influential beings. When they are neglected, abused, or put in danger by the same adults responsible for taking care of them, it is up to the social worker to determine whether or not the child should be removed from the home. It cannot always be easy to be responsible for this life changing decision. From the outside, it seems like it would be simple, but we do not know all of the factors that have to be taken into account in order to make that decision. Then, once the decision is made, these children will either be placed in foster care or a group home. Again, these are all hard decisions that have to be made in accordance to the law. Until we are in their shoes, we cannot judge. Social workers are known to be overloaded with cases, scrutinized for every decision they make and rarely thanked for their services. The emotional pressure and stress they endure is one of the main reasons many of these underpaid employees find a new profession.

• Police Officer- Police officers are being scrutinized in the media for everything they do, lately. It's appalling to think that the very men and women that put their lives on the line every day, on duty or not, are being treated so poorly. Every profession has some bad seeds. For the public to judge all police officers based on that of the bad seeds is ridiculous. For every bad cop, there are a hundred great ones. Officers are enforcing laws and fighting crime to make the world a safer place to live. They have to make tough, split second decisions that could be fatal, but they think it is worth it to save lives. We take them for granted. Of course no one likes getting a speeding ticket, but the driver is at fault, not the cop writing the ticket. Americans have a problem with authority. We do not want law enforcement to tell us what to do, but we are quick to call them for help. We need to stop and think what America would be like without them. Spending a week or even a day in their position would probably help most people be more understanding, supportive, and appreciative.

• Janitor/Housekeeper- Cleaning is a dirty, unglamorous job. Workers in the cleaning business are often stereotyped as immigrants, uneducated or otherwise unskilled individuals. People are inconsiderate to housekeepers and janitors. Simple tasks like rinsing dishes, putting garbage in the trash, and just picking up after themselves are left for cleaners. They should not have to pick up the trash you were too lazy to throw away or pick up laundry left all over the house. This is common misconception people make about cleaners. Most services provide vacuuming, mopping, dusting, cleaning the bathrooms and kitchen, changing bed linens, and possibly some laundry, unless otherwise discussed. Being responsible for cleaning a school, business, or another person’s house will show you how truly lazy or rude we can be. What if you had to clean a hotel room after a teenager’s birthday party? What if you were a janitor at an elementary school or daycare? These people work hard to make other people’s lives easier. They provide a clean and orderly environment to those they serve and earn every penny.

• Management- Managers get paid more for a reason. They are in charge of delegating and overseeing responsibilities of a job. When things do not get done or are done incorrectly, they are responsible for it. The stress of hiring the right people, firing the wrong ones, and managing current employees can be stressful. Most people want the approval of others. When you are a boss, you will not always make friends. One minute you will be motivating someone and the next reprimanding them. It is important for your employees to respect you. Managers have to make a lot of hard decisions. Not everyone will understand why you do things, or necessarily agree with you, but you have to continue making tough calls. You will definitely develop thick skin working as a boss. Being a good boss means being a good leader. A good leader will listen, encourage, motivate, help, and work considerably more hours than other employees. You will learn organization and time management in order to be available to employees and to complete jobs correctly and on time.

• Military- America is a free country because of the brave men and women that serve in the United States Military. They put their lives on the line for us to be free. We can choose our career, religion, and how we want to live our life because of them. It is a selfless act. They sacrifice so much for this great country, and sadly, we take it for granted. Many soldiers miss the birth of their children and watching them grow up while they are deployed. They are in top physical condition and endure a lot of strenuous training to be prepared to defend America. When duty calls, regardless of what is going on in their lives, they must go. They risk returning from a foreign country in a pine box or without a limb. For all of the sacrifices they make, and their families too, they do not make much money and many even have trouble finding jobs when they get out of the military. Stop and think for one minute what your life would be like without them. What if you had to go serve for a year overseas? Would you respect the Pledge of Allegiance more? Would you appreciate the National Anthem differently? Would you thank a soldier more often? These questions should be thought provoking and help you be more aware of what these individuals do for millions of Americans they don’t even know. Thank a soldier when you have the chance.