--- title: How Learning to Choose Gave Me the Career of My Dreams description: In this story originally shared at WCF 2022, Tonia Brown shares how she embraced the power of choice after facing abandonment, abuse, and homelessness. image: https://www.womeninconsumerfinance.com/hubfs/Blog%20Preview%20Images%20(38).png ---  **We’re back! The Women in Consumer Finance Conference will relaunch in Fall 2027! 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Throughout my childhood, I was subject to physical and sexual abuse at the hands of family members and other adults. I wound up pregnant and homeless at eighteen. As an adult, I found myself trapped in an abusive marriage where I was physically and mentally abused by my ex-husband until I attempted suicide.  All of that and none of that define who I am today. Like many people in these situations, I sought an escape. While I mostly managed to sidestep substance abuse, I fell victim to my own drug of choice: food. I gained up to 325 pounds. At just twenty-three years old, I had a heart attack and ended up in the emergency room with a doctor telling me that if I didn’t make some changes, I wouldn’t live to grow old. This is where things changed. Despite the circumstances, something in those words gave me power. I *could* make some changes. I could choose to change. And that’s what I did. I found a therapist who helped me understand that I could decide whether to allow my emotions and circumstances make me a victim or propel me to be my own victor.   ## **From there, I began taking steps to improve my life, one choice at a time.** In 2006, India Aria released a song called “I Choose”. Her lyrics helped solidify my new view of the world and my place in it. *Because you*[*never*](https://www.definitions.net/definition/never) *know*[*where*](https://www.definitions.net/definition/where) *life is*[*gonna*](https://www.definitions.net/definition/gonna) *take you* *And you can't*[*change*](https://www.definitions.net/definition/change) *where you've been* *But today, I have the*[*opportunity*](https://www.definitions.net/definition/opportunity) *to choose* Those lyrics showed me that my past doesn’t define who I am and that I have a say in my own life. I had never considered this before, and the idea thrilled me.  That phrase became my mantra. I started every day by saying “today, I choose…” and I would name what I was choosing. Some days all I could choose was to get out of bed and brush my teeth. But whatever it was, once I chose it, I committed myself to doing it.    ## **Soon, little choices became big choices, and I was making decisions that would lead me to the incredible career I have today.** In 2008 I was laid off from my job as a project manager at a small healthcare revenue cycle solutions company. With my new outlook, however, I chose to see this as a gateway rather than a closed door, and I’m so glad I did.  My stepfather was the manager of a restaurant that did a lot of catering. He offered me a catering gig one weekend and I said yes without hesitating. After all, I was on unemployment and $275 per week doesn’t go very far as a single parent with a mortgage to pay. So I showed up, ready to put in some work. It turned out that the catering was for a collection agency that was celebrating their twenty-year anniversary. I got to talking with some of the employees and found them to be kind, funny and just plain wonderful. *These are my people,* I thought. I sent my resume the following Monday, interviewed on Tuesday, and started as a collector on Wednesday. Had I reverted my old habits after being laid off, I never would have stumbled into this job, nor the trajectory that followed. As it was, I embarked on a life-changing career journey.  I learned pretty quickly that I wasn’t a good collector, but I knew I had skills that they needed and I loved the company.    ## **So, I chose to make another path for myself rather than floundering in a role that didn’t fit me.** I presented a quality assurance plan and was given the job of getting the company PPMS certified. Once I got started on that I was asked to start an HR department and a compliance department. That led to me taking on training, new hire orientation, recruitment, and benefits. Eventually, I was made Executive Vice President. My time and growth at that agency is a true testament to the power of choice. Over and over, I chose to remain positive, to look for opportunities, and to make the most of what was in front of me. This time period truly transformed the way I thought about myself and what I was capable of. Now, I’m a consultant for a firm that has clients all over the United States and is growing. I never would have gotten here if I hadn’t embraced my power to choose my path. Every day you make the choice to be the victor or the victim. Today, I choose victor, and I hope you will too.    --- #### Tag: [Career](https://www.womeninconsumerfinance.com/career-stories/tag/career) [Growth](https://www.womeninconsumerfinance.com/career-stories/tag/growth) [Advice](https://www.womeninconsumerfinance.com/career-stories/tag/advice) #### Share: - [Follow us on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://www.womeninconsumerfinance.com/career-stories/how-learning-to-choose-gave-me-the-career-of-my-dreams) - [Follow us on Linkedin](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.womeninconsumerfinance.com/career-stories/how-learning-to-choose-gave-me-the-career-of-my-dreams) - [Follow us on Mail](mailto:?subject=How%20Learning%20to%20Choose%20Gave%20Me%20the%20Career%20of%20My%20Dreams%20&%20body=https://www.womeninconsumerfinance.com/career-stories/how-learning-to-choose-gave-me-the-career-of-my-dreams) - Follow us on Copy --- #### [There's a Connection Crisis for Women in Finance Previous Post](https://www.womeninconsumerfinance.com/career-stories/theres-a-connection-crisis-for-women-in-finance) #### [4 Things to Know Before You Leave Your Comfort Zone Next Post](https://www.womeninconsumerfinance.com/career-stories/4-things-to-know-before-you-leave-your-comfort-zone) ![Untitled design (1)-Nov-07-2023-06-38-17-8684-PM](https://www.womeninconsumerfinance.com/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(1)-Nov-07-2023-06-38-17-8684-PM.png "Untitled design (1)-Nov-07-2023-06-38-17-8684-PM") [About](https://www.womeninconsumerfinance.com/about-us) [Contact Us](mailto:wcfconnect@acainternational.org?subject=Women%20in%20Consumer%20Finance%20Inquiry`) [Privacy Policy](https://www.womeninconsumerfinance.com/privacy-policy)   © 2026 ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Tonia Brown", "url" : "https://www.womeninconsumerfinance.com/career-stories/author/tonia-brown" }, "dateModified" : "2024-03-21T13:17:22.280Z", "datePublished" : "2023-03-01T15:35:00.000Z", "headline" : "How Learning to Choose Gave Me the Career of My Dreams", "image" : [ "https://www.womeninconsumerfinance.com/hubfs/Blog%20Preview%20Images%20(38).png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.womeninconsumerfinance.com/career-stories/how-learning-to-choose-gave-me-the-career-of-my-dreams", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.womeninconsumerfinance.com/hubfs/Women%20in%20Cosumer%20Finance%20Logo%20(Icon)-1.png" }, "name" : "Women in Consumer Finance" } } ```