I've been working in call centre, making around 22 dollars an hour, since early 2010; last night as I was going over some old notes and it really hit home: I got comfortable at a job that doesn't challenge me and pays well; I have no savings (but very little debt so that's good) and no assets.
My work environment is far from terrible but I feel it's a direct contributor to my anxiousness: I have to deal with people calling me about health issues (even though our service doesn't provide any health information) and it regularly gets depressing (people having cancer, parents dying, people with diseases, parents of young children that need help etc...); coupled with me feeling that I've let the job live my life for (in a manner of speaking) I've been considering going down to part-time.
Part-time to maybe focus on making music more seriously, going back to school, getting another part-time job etc.... So now I'm thinking of re-inventing myself, focusing more on my strengths rather than obsessing over my shortcomings which is something that has been a driving force since I've been 25 (fell in love with a woman that really didn't treat me well and I've recently realized how much it had affected me); I just really feel like I need to change my life rhythm but, at the same time, I'm extremely afraid of making a mistake: I'll be 30 in January and I feel like the clock's ticking. I know it's not that dramatic but one thing I've been kicking myself over is being too passive in my life so far: I'm fairly intelligent and never really had to work that hard to get what I wanted and it didn't help that substance abuse didn't help me get motivated or actually desire anything considerable that would have required me to kick myself in the arse and get it done. So now I want to be proactive but I've been advised by a lot of my friends and family that this is not a time to be rushing into big life decisions (well it never is I guess but my emotional state makes it even more precarious I've been told)
This whole summer has been one of self-doubt and regret and while I'm definitely getting better and I do feel like it would be for the best to start working towards something better and yet, I find myslef almost paralysed by the fear that, again in ten years from now, I'll wake up and find that I was all wrong and took the wrong decisions (for the right reasons, I'll give myself that!).
I'm considering law school (I'm a thinker) or focusing on music to be able to make a bit of money with (I don't think I'd want it to be a career though) or maybe changing field to one where I could feel the desire to seek promotions (I work for the government through an agency and do not feel any desire to move up in the ranks) etc...
Almost everything is on the table but I'm just looking for some individuals who might have tales of their own struggles with career-identity and the passage time. These are epic times after all, the world is changing and so am I: I should be excited that I've been given the opportunity to the right ship but I'm finding myself lost in the fog of doubt and seemingly incapable of choosing a destination.
If anything, thanks for reading! Typing it out felt good!
You have an easy job that pays well, yet you are considering quitting with no savings
If you want to quit your job, save up some money first so you have a good financial footing to stand on. Learn to live frugally both so you can save more and make the money you save last longer once you quit.
There are elements of your story that are similar to mine. It took me about 10 years to get through college, with a significant break in the middle.
Half-way through college I took a break and got job that I thought paid well ($20/hour), but didn't really challenge me and didn't have any advancement potential.
The best thing possible happened to me was losing that job when the company was sold. That forced me to wrap up college and pursue a career, instead of what would have become a dead-end job.
Since you're going to have to work for the next 30 years - it might as well be in 1) something you enjoy and 2) something that pays well. It's worth doing some exploring to find out what that might be before you commit to taking on college loans, for example.
I don't know that I've followed all of your posts or background, but if you are still stabilizing, there's probably some wisdom in taking a little bit of time to make a decision on what to do next. That said, I think it's a great idea to make a change while you are motivated to change - if you allow yourself to get comfortable/complacent again, another decade may pass before again feel the desire to change/move.
Keep your job (at least for now). Roughly 7% unemployment in Canada, while that's not bad I know a lot of people who would love a 20$/hr job going into school, in school or coming out.
Save up some money for a bit while you think about it.
I'm not thinking of going to part-time right away, I've gone through enough financial turmoil to know better!
I was just wondering and/or hoping anyone might have some stories about "yeah I stopped what I was doing and changed everything about my career and here's how it went down and what you should know"
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My work environment is far from terrible but I feel it's a direct contributor to my anxiousness: I have to deal with people calling me about health issues (even though our service doesn't provide any health information) and it regularly gets depressing (people having cancer, parents dying, people with diseases, parents of young children that need help etc...); coupled with me feeling that I've let the job live my life for (in a manner of speaking) I've been considering going down to part-time.
Part-time to maybe focus on making music more seriously, going back to school, getting another part-time job etc.... So now I'm thinking of re-inventing myself, focusing more on my strengths rather than obsessing over my shortcomings which is something that has been a driving force since I've been 25 (fell in love with a woman that really didn't treat me well and I've recently realized how much it had affected me); I just really feel like I need to change my life rhythm but, at the same time, I'm extremely afraid of making a mistake: I'll be 30 in January and I feel like the clock's ticking. I know it's not that dramatic but one thing I've been kicking myself over is being too passive in my life so far: I'm fairly intelligent and never really had to work that hard to get what I wanted and it didn't help that substance abuse didn't help me get motivated or actually desire anything considerable that would have required me to kick myself in the arse and get it done. So now I want to be proactive but I've been advised by a lot of my friends and family that this is not a time to be rushing into big life decisions (well it never is I guess but my emotional state makes it even more precarious I've been told)
This whole summer has been one of self-doubt and regret and while I'm definitely getting better and I do feel like it would be for the best to start working towards something better and yet, I find myslef almost paralysed by the fear that, again in ten years from now, I'll wake up and find that I was all wrong and took the wrong decisions (for the right reasons, I'll give myself that!).
I'm considering law school (I'm a thinker) or focusing on music to be able to make a bit of money with (I don't think I'd want it to be a career though) or maybe changing field to one where I could feel the desire to seek promotions (I work for the government through an agency and do not feel any desire to move up in the ranks) etc...
Almost everything is on the table but I'm just looking for some individuals who might have tales of their own struggles with career-identity and the passage time. These are epic times after all, the world is changing and so am I: I should be excited that I've been given the opportunity to the right ship but I'm finding myself lost in the fog of doubt and seemingly incapable of choosing a destination.
If anything, thanks for reading! Typing it out felt good!
If you want to quit your job, save up some money first so you have a good financial footing to stand on. Learn to live frugally both so you can save more and make the money you save last longer once you quit.
Half-way through college I took a break and got job that I thought paid well ($20/hour), but didn't really challenge me and didn't have any advancement potential.
The best thing possible happened to me was losing that job when the company was sold. That forced me to wrap up college and pursue a career, instead of what would have become a dead-end job.
Since you're going to have to work for the next 30 years - it might as well be in 1) something you enjoy and 2) something that pays well. It's worth doing some exploring to find out what that might be before you commit to taking on college loans, for example.
I don't know that I've followed all of your posts or background, but if you are still stabilizing, there's probably some wisdom in taking a little bit of time to make a decision on what to do next. That said, I think it's a great idea to make a change while you are motivated to change - if you allow yourself to get comfortable/complacent again, another decade may pass before again feel the desire to change/move.
Save up some money for a bit while you think about it.
I'm not thinking of going to part-time right away, I've gone through enough financial turmoil to know better!
I was just wondering and/or hoping anyone might have some stories about "yeah I stopped what I was doing and changed everything about my career and here's how it went down and what you should know"