‘The first florist recognized by Buckingham Palace.’ This modifier comes with the florist, Jo Eun-young. She went to university according to her score of scholastic ability test like other many people and worked at a personnel department in a company, but she changed her job into a florist. After changing her job, she had lived in London for 10 years and was recognized as a florist by Buckingham Palace. Let’s listen to her successful story of journey for her real happiness. -Ed.
 

Florist
  A florist is not a person who simply arranges flowers by sitting on the floor. Flowers are tools like paints to express oneself, and a florist is a person who gives space power with flowers. Florists understand space well and make new space with flowers and plants, adding their sensibilities there.
  As a florist, the good thing is that I always meet happy people. People visit florists to get ready to congratulate the happy news such as birthdays and promotions. Whenever I meet such people, I also feel like I’m gaining positive energy. In addition, after the work, I am really thrilled when the outcomes are exactly the same with what I expected or better than that. It feels good to see the big change of the empty space by means of flowers. This is similar with the extreme happiness that an entertainer feels when they see their works which they appear in.

The conversion from an employee to a florist
  I graduated from a university and worked at a personnel department in a company as common people do. I majored in business administration in the university according to my score, and I was not interested in my major. Originally, I was interested in making something or doing some creative work. However, I didn't have a professional education in them. Consequently, when I sought employment, I had difficulty getting a job in the field where I really wanted to work.
  After joining a personnel department in a company, I was stressed by doing the systematic and long-term things. I tried to find another job that I could do during my lifetime and that I could find happiness in. In the process of being a food stylist, I studied flowers and it fit me more than food styling. Opposite of my life in the old company, the work of florists is short-term. Florists take on duties from taking orders to shipping flowers. In addition, I can directly recognize customers’ responses as soon as they see my work.
  I decided to change my work without a slight hesitancy. I hated my life in my company, so I thought I couldn’t live that way. Furthermore, I didn't know employees had to move heavy things and get up at dawn, which was so tiring. I easily decided to be a florist. It was also dull living in Korea. I felt the reality of Korea was like recognizing the whole landscape by climbing just a low mountain. For these reasons, I could walk this road to be a florist by putting anxiety about studying abroad aside.

Decision on my dream
  When you decide your dream, the most important thing is not its fame and high income. Only remember this.
  "I am happy or not with the work."
  I don't want a life where I have to earn much money, but I want the life that I can use money that I earn. I threw out the greed for money. I learned that I can be happy without much money in London. Let's suppose someone got a salary, spent a good deal of money at the beginning of the month and became short of money at the end of the month. If Koreans are under that situation, they would be ashamed of being short of money and would pretend to have enough money. On the other hand, Londoners are not ashamed of that. They buy some bread, go to the office and eat it there. After that, they get a salary and ask their colleagues to go out for beer. The difference results from the differences in the ways they think and the world they live in. I don't want a life singing for money. If I don't have much money, I live within my purse.
  On having the work that you still like after time passes, don’t be afraid that you may dislike doing the work. You can endure it because it is what you like. When you do the things you like and are good at, you are very thrilled. It is possible because you do your favorite work.
  However, everyone doesn't have to work with passion. Everyone's life is not interesting. If it were like this, the world's balance would collapse. Various people make various worlds. We are supposed to be like this. You start to work for earning money. However, if you want to do something else as a job, don't immediately give up your work. Prepare your dream while working to earn money. At the same time, you should earnestly worry about your dream. I worked in the company and worked as a florist at the same time for six months. I prepared my florist life by earning money while working in the company.
  First, know your exact situation and search for a workplace depending on your level. After that, you will go forward. You also cannot do everything. Remember everyone has different things and everyone is good at different things from person to person.

To you dreaming of being a florist
  I want to ask three things to those of you dreaming of being a florist. First, don't have a prejudice. If you have a thousand colors, you should use all the colors, not only a hundred colors. Don't block your view with your prejudice.
  Second, florists put their souls into their works. Florists should read many books and experience various things. These help florists imagine things that clients want and turn flowers into their own works with their emotions. However, you shouldn’t excessively chase your own style. It is important to mix your soul and common code that most people agree with. Various works must be made by various people having the same flowers. That is your own style. When someone asks me if my works are the style of London, I confidently say, "It is my style."
  Lastly, certainly remember this. A florist is not a person who arranges flowers while sitting on the floor. Ponder if you want to be a florist or an owner of a flower shop. The two things have different starting points, so they have different destinations.
  A florist is a hard job. There is much hard physical work. If you are ready to bear these difficulties, challenge and prepare for it. Many opportunities that I had were the result from my ability made by having worked silently and diligently. By having your ability, you can grab your opportunities and last until the end.

By Lee Jeong-hae | ljh32@cbnu.ac.kr
By Kang Ill-gu | ig33@cbnu.ac.kr