Carol Abbott

I attribute my success to my parents. They just told me to keep going. Don't quit, always go for what you want, and dream big. They were the ones who encouraged me to stick with it, even when days are hard and you feel like you want to quit sometimes.

The best career advice I've ever received was to stick with it. Because days are hard, and you feel like you want to quit sometimes, don't give up. Because you've seen positive, you'll see it again. This advice really resonated with me, and I share it with other people when they come through, new officers and stuff, because I know how challenging this work can be.

I would say know your priorities and always stick to them. If you start doubting yourself, or you start having questions, reach out to other people, because people who've been in the field, they can help you to be overcomers of situations you could put yourself in. It's important to have that support system and not be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

The biggest challenge for me is promoting, because of where I live. I don't want to relocate, and I don't have a lot of promotion opportunities unless I decide to drive like an hour and a half to work. I did drive an hour and 20 minutes at one point, I did it for 6 months, and I was like, I can't do this no more. So the geographic limitations really impact career advancement in my field.

My walk with Christ is very important to me. I share that with inmates also, and so they come to me, and we pray together sometimes. I'm a Christian, and I definitely do not down other religions. Other religions have come to me, and we've talked about their religion, and then my religion, and so I love debating stuff like that. I think it's interesting, because there's so many different religions out there, and learning pieces of another religion is beneficial. It gives you a better understanding of why they chose that religion and helps you connect with people on a deeper level.