A couple weeks ago when I was heading up to Davis, California to visit one of my close friends, I took an Uber ride I will never forget. I missed the last train to Davis for the day, so I decided to Uber from the train station to Davis. I requested a ride, and was surprised to have a female driver, a rarity I truly cherish. I hopped in the car expecting the usual conversation of weather related topics, my college experience, and where I was going, and my ride began just like that. We talked about the weird weather, then how I was a business student, followed by why I was going all the way to Davis, each topic occurring in basically the same order it always does. Everything changed when I started asking about her life and why she was an Uber driver.

When I asked if Uber was her full time job, she told me she was actually a life coach, motivational speaker, and spoken word poet. I don’t know about you, but that is the most amazing combination of jobs I have ever heard. After learning her career I was dying to hear more about her story and how she found her path. She started talking to me about literally everything; finding your passions, love, insecurities, finding yourself, and so much more. Her advice and wisdom could not have come at a better time, and it is my hope her musings on life may help guide you as well. Here are some of the most meaningful tidbits I took away from our conversation:

• Never cry for more than five minutes over something that won’t affect you in five years
• Pursuing your passion is where you’ll find true joy
• Never force yourself to do anything you don’t want to do
• Don’t let others drag you down with their drama
• True confidence is recognizing your insecurities and realizing you are still amazing
• Once you find your passion and address your insecurities, you’ll be unstoppable

These are just a few of my favorite gems among so many that I can remember from our conversation. I can’t say anyone has ever kept my attention for an entire hour until now. I soaked in every minute of the Uber ride--that I was originally dreading--and I am forever grateful I met this woman. I can’t say I will ever meet her again, but what I learned from her is, not only all the words of advice I listed above, but that you never know when you’ll meet someone who will have great influence on your life. This woman’s advice may seem insignificant in all the advice I’ve gotten throughout my life, but the fact that she felt comfortable enough to share her personal stories and wisdom with me is something I’ll never forget.

After this experience, my advice to all of you is to embrace the unexpected. I never thought my painful hour-long Uber ride would turn out to be an extremely beneficial experience, but I kept myself open and look what I got. You all may not have a serious connection with an Uber driver or someone you just met throughout your life, but keep an open mind and heart because you never know what might come your way, who knows it could be the life coach you never even knew you needed.