*Collaborative post.
In life, it can be hard to know what it is that you really want in life. You can spend years working towards something that you thought you wanted, but then when you get there it’s not quite what you thought it would be. Even if that is the case, that doesn’t mean it’s too late, there’s no point in life where there’s no turning back when it comes to your career, and you should never let thoughts like that hold you back!
Often people do what’s expected of them, or what they feel they need to do, so it’s not uncommon to be working in a job that doesn’t align with your dreams. You have to be creative with your ambitions if you want to know what it is that fits you.
How to know
Is your job starting to feel stale? Do you often fantasize about other careers wishing that you worked towards them instead? Well, if this is the case, it might be time to start looking into turning that around! That’s not to say you should just drop everything in an instant, finances need to be taken care of, but what’s stopping you from working on it?
Age doesn’t matter
So you feel like it’s too late to turn back now, as you’re no longer in your twenties, maybe not in your thirties either; that doesn’t matter. There’s a popular Chinese proverb that says “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”. Think about it, how much happier you would be twenty years from now if you were to change direction now; there’s no time like the present!
What you can do
There’s plenty you can do to change direction, no matter what your dream job is! For some, if not all, it’s going to be a daunting path. The idea of going back to college or university with people a lot younger than yourself might feel silly, but it’s completely normal! You’re there to make the best of your life, and there’s nothing more fulfilling than that.
Even if you need to spend years studying for your dream profession, it’s worth the effort if you can commit to it! For example, you could apply for a doctor of education program much later in life than the other students. It might not sound like everyone’s dream, but graduates of this program are prepared for academic leadership positions, and for some that might sound like something worth turning their life around for!
Don’t limit yourself to the expectations of other people, if there’s something that you’ve always wanted to do, you should start now.
Try new things
If you find yourself not enjoying your job, but also not knowing what it is that you want to do, not to worry! This just means you haven’t found what it is that you’re looking for yet, and it’s still never too late in life to find that! Now’s the time to be looking and experiencing new things, try to picture yourself in different professions!
This doesn’t only apply for just jobs, hobbies and activities are a great way to find out more about yourself. Everyone needs a hobby, something that makes you feel good about yourself, and a creative outlet you can pour your time into! It’s never too late to pick up a new hobby either, you just have to remember to set aside some time for it here and there.
Why you should
If you dread going to work every day, but you think that it’s best if you carry on going to the same job in the same field, you might be wrong. Even if your current job brings in enough money to make you feel successful, you still need fulfillment and happiness to go with that. Money can’t buy happiness, but having a life that you enjoy is worth a lot more than all the money in the world. You don’t want to be living with the regret in the back of your mind, wishing that you’d just changed course at some point, when you can change course right now!
It’s not an easy decision to make, as you have to put in a lot of work to change your direction in life, but when you think about why you’re doing it, it can make it a lot easier. You only get
