I used to chat to a really nice lady and we sometimes ended up having quite profound conversations. She did a lot of work with the community and when I reflected on my work I always came away thinking something was missing, certainly from a satisfaction perspective. She got me to think about stuff that, to be honest, I have not really thought about before.
I have a good job, I work bloody hard and enjoy it thoroughly. But what I do could not compare to what she did from a satisfaction perspective. To this day I have the utmost admiration of her.
It started to make me think. Now I am no way a people’s person and to be honest, would probably hinder rather than help people. After looking at myself I decided that in order to actually do something that I considered worthwhile, it didn’t necessarily have to involve helping people. It could be anything from digging ditches to helping an old lady crossing the road. Most importantly it had to give me self satisfaction that I was actually contributing.
After looking around, there was so much that I could do and intend on doing. Mainly, because of where I live, it involves outside work. The main thing is that I have taken the first step.
Without those conversations I would never have examined myself in the way that I did. Sometimes it can take the most offhand comment, or the most serious in depth conversation to make us look inside ourselves. The challenge is looking at yourself honestly and wanting to do something about what you find lurking there.
PK
You are young and my advice to you is follow you're dream. You only have one shot at life, make the most of it.
I completley turned my life around a couple of years ago. I cant go into it much here for obvious reasons but doing what I do now is the best thing Ive done in a long, long time. I get so much satisfaction from my job and it makes me realise just how fortunate I am.
My whole outlook on life is now so different to what it was and my only regret is, I didnt do it when I was younger. It just goes to show its never too late but changing your career when you are younger seems so much easier than when you reach middle age.
Go with your gut feelings and trust you're instincts and good luck
follow your heart, in years to come there will still be houses to buy and do up, and settling down to do. but you may not always have ther option to go and follow your dreams in the future. i say grab it know whilst you still can.
Life is too short to be doing things you really have no passion for.
Having lost several family members in a short space of time, lost the love of my life and went bankrupt and lived in fear and misery for months .. I've got to say - JUST BLOODY DO IT!
Yes, it's impractical to live each day as though it's your last but that's not what you will be doing - you'll be living the dream - something we all want but are too bogged down with fear and materialistic cack.
When you're old and grey do you want to be in your nursing home thinking to yourself "oh yes, i worked hard and got my first house before anyone else" OR "I lived my life to the full and what a ride!"
When you're dead and buried do you want to be remembered as PoshKate who had a lovely house or PoshKate who took life by the horns and savoured every second of it?
Take every opportunity you get in life 'cos one day the opportunities will stop - and boy, will you regret it.
Good luck x
Well for once we agree...
Life is too short not to be completely happy, anyone who knows me knows how I feel about living to others expectations. I have yet to meet anyone who is rich that is truly happy and by rich I only mean overly comfortable. Most people tend to do things to impress others as such anyway, the look at me i'm doing so well (but I'm feckin miserable but you can't see that)
Do what ever makes you truly happy inside, its you that counts at the end of the day. If your smiling inside does it matter what anyone else thinks?
I was lucky.. i am still lucky in that my life changed just like that overnight. Knowing that being healthy and happy is far better than imaginary riches makes me far happier..
Whatever you do... be happy and be nice!
Mike x
If you know what you want to do Kate, go for it….
……I would, if I only knew what I wanted to do………
I wrote a similar thread to this about a month ago PK, and got some great advice, view points and opinions, think it was entitled "mid life crisis at 28"
Its seems that we all get to a stage where we begin to question the importance of the materialistic things we once strove so hard to acquire.
I got rid of the big flash car, the designer clothes and the egotism that made me want to outdo everyone i knew by having the things they wanted before they got them etc,etc, and haven't felt so damn good for doing it. I dont have the desire for the £800 Omega watch as i know one for £10 will tell the time just as well and will be less of a strain on my finances, less of a worry to look after and will not make me feel any more or less important.
I know your situation although similar in essence is a little different, we all have our own priorities and ideas what we want but the main thing is to do what YOU want and believe to be right, as if you are true to yourself and your own mind there is no right or wrong, just a learning experience to reflect on later in life!!
Happy deliberating.
I'd had a spell of thinking just that:
Time for a change.
for a person such as myself, these things do come not easily. Spontan..spontanei... spur of the moment happenings can certainly occur, but if it were to be anything having a lasting effect, or dare I say... consequences... I would always tend to shy way... leave for another day...
procrastination for the nation! Thats me!
however.. in a very very stale periob in my life, changes simply had to be made... it was a must.
life was becoming unbarable not only for me, but for those around me as I stagnated in the self created atmosphere drifting around me like a pawl...
so, eventually... when push came to shove and after an age of mind searching and courage building I made the wrench from my old habits... a clean sheet.... a fresh beginning!
with gritted teeth and loin girded...
rrrrrip and the old y-fronts were off in one sweeping movement... warm, soapie and soothing water was applied... talk and a little gentle toweling...
a new man..
fresh underpants have changed my life... and the final action only cost me a little surface dermis... a few days of tender seating... and a tad more care when toileting...
it was worth it!
lp
Poshkate
Like the others have said you do what is best for you, and good luck.
I currently know of 2 people off this site, whos contract for work finished and have gone walkabout for 3 or 4 months, they said if they didn't do it now they would never do it and by all accounts from their emails / pm's / text are haveing a wonderful time.
xx
Go for it!!!
We decided to jump off the planet 4 years ago and haven't regretted a moment!! :thumbup:
Our quality of life has jumped through the ceiling although our standard of living has dropped, but if we haven't got this years TV or whatever, who cares!!!
Once you are your own boss, its YOU who decides what to do - no other bugger!!! its YOU who will take the credit for a job well done, the risks, the planning and everything else... and at the end of the day, YOU can pat yourself on the back and say " Yep I DID IT!!
It took a while to adjust but now.. phew... thank you!!!
Follow your heart is very sound advice.
But you should only do it if you have a burning passion to do it and are really prepared to take all the downsides that come with it. And, as you've said, there are always pros and cons.
Whenever you hop over the fence the grass never looks quite so green as it did from the other side. The rewards that society offers through well paid jobs are often difficult to replace.
I'm not trying to put you off but test the idea hard with yer 'reality' specs on before you decide.
.
) Now when I first saw this place I was really really excited :bounce: and totally fell in love with it.....and whilst I still love it, it means borrowing a ridiulous amount of money :? but I've (kind of) worked out a way to juggle my finances so that I can make it work out and eventually have a real dream home..... 
) but for some reason today I didn't want to....and to be honest I don't want to tomorrow either....
