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Reflections on Career and the Future
Hi everyone! I hope y’all had a good weekend and that you survived the polar vortex if it affected you. My column on career woes went up yesterday and I thought I’d get your opinions on it.
I talk in the column about my relationship with mental illness and its impact on my ability to counsel well. Over the past several days, I’ve come to analyze how I approach difficult situations—I burn out very easily and get lost in people’s feelings, so I’m worried that counseling will stress me out, to the point where it will become a hazard to my health. Chronic pain and constant stress do not mix well.
More than that, though, I’ve been considering my life and what I want my life to stand for. I’ve written in several of my columns that I’ve lived longer than I was supposed to. I’m very healthy right now, so I’m no more in danger than I ever am, but I still feel compelled to make the most of the time I have. Given the stress of counseling, its potential impact on my health, and most of all my desire to tell stories, it feels a little disingenuous to go into something when I have so many doubts.
Do you ever feel like you need to do something important with the time you’ve been given? How does that affect how you see your life?
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8 Replies
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Brianna we have same problems,just a lot of people with SMA they do not want to admit they have psychological problems.And all these mental problems come because we want to make something from our life, but that’s hard going.
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I totally agree! So much of my mental health issues stem from my disability, so it’s difficult to feel like I’ll ever “recover” to the point where I’m no longer struggling.
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Honestly I think some of the most qualified people for counseling are the ones who have struggled with issues themselves. It makes them much more relatable in my opinion. Probably the only way to know for sure if it’s something you want to do is to give it a shot. With that being said you certainly wouldn’t be the first person to choose not to do what you went to school for if you decide not to pursue it. Funny thing about education is that what you learn sticks with you (at least in general) and can be applied in various situations. Life is short, even shorter for us, so find a career that’s gratifying.
When I went to school I chose a major I could do not necessarily one I wanted to do. Despite that I don’t regret my choice because it helped me become who I am today. Five years ago I never would have dreamt I would be doing what I am today. Things have a way of working out as long as you keep striving to be the best version of you.
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This is great advice! Thanks, DeAnn. I also majored in something that wasn’t my “passion” – psychology, as opposed to English literature and writing, which is ultimately what I want to do with my life – so I understand. Even with everything up in the air right now, I don’t regret it, because majoring in psychology has significantly influenced who I am today.
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I’d just encourage you not to make any emotional or rash decisions. Anyone in any field will have occasional doubts, but they’ll usually pass. If this is a field you’re passionate about and gifted in, then stick with it. Not to mention all the time and money you’ve dedicated to it. That’s just my two cents without having a great understanding of your situation. Just want to encourage you to plow through the rough times.
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Thanks for the advice, Ryan! I really appreciate it. It’s always helpful to get someone else’s perspective!
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Brianna, I totally get what you’re saying because I was there one time, in your shoes. I also loved English lit and writing, but I went with psychology also because it would pay the bills. Unfortunately, before I even graduated with my bachelor’s, I was offered a job with the federal govt. Because I had worked enough part-time jobs in school, I was in danger of losing my SSI because my SSDI was going to be too much, so therefore I would also lose my Medicaid. This was before 1619b. I quit school and went to work full time to have the insurance and the money. I had several opportunities after that (I would bet I’m a little bit older than you) to go back to school, but I really didn’t want to spend the money or time it would take to get a master’s degree. That would’ve been the only way I could be a counselor, getting a higher degree to be able to have my own practice. I decided to stay with my job and continue my writing on my own.
I also went thru a very long spell of anxiety which manifested itself in my worrying constantly about all sorts of things. It wasn’t until I started going to counseling myself, and working with a group that helps other people with anxiety, that I began to really look at myself a little bit better. I was able to talk about my fears & my worries, letting them go so that I wouldn’t hold on to them. This took some time over a few years to get to the point that I don’t worry so much about dying or my husband dying. I don’t worry so much about getting sick or having the finances to take care of me. I don’t worry about a lot of things now that I have really no control over. I just do the best I can at taking care of myself, and I try to enjoy my life that I have. I’m very happy now in the smaller things because I’m not sweating all of them. It gave me a huge sense of freedom. I think you’re just worrying about having this career the same way everyone worries about starting out in their lives. We have a few extra things to consider than most other people, but I think it’s very normal for anyone to start questioning what they’re doing before they start doing it. I agree that you should give it a shot, unless you are absolutely sure that you don’t want to do it. I also agree that sometimes the things we go thru are just preparing us for what we’re going to do in the future. Stepping stones, that’s what the phases of our lives are – stepping stones to the next phases.
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When we talk about our psychic state I have long time ago noticed that if we are physically strong then we are also mentally good. I noticed it when I was young and relatively strong I had the feeling that my whole world was. Because of this, we often have depression and anxiety.
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