Hi Rachel and Kristen,
I wanted to ask a question about career changes and how a career change will trigger many different life decisions/opportunities – first a bit of background: I am really thinking of changing my career completely, I’ve worked in public relations and communications for 5+ years but I’ve had a lot of blows in the industry – redundancies, agencies that made me hate my life by under-resourcing that led to working ridiculously long hours (I’m a 100% Thriver so I NEED work life balance) and the latest blow came just before last Christmas. I thought I had found a PR job where I was really happy, but then was let go during my trial period – unpacking the situation with a counsellor has led me to find a lot of the situation was likely related to money in the business and I was the easiest team member to let go of.
Over the last year I have been really considering a career in Dietetics and Nutrition, I find health particularly how food relates to health, has always been a keen interest of mine – I read all about it in my spare time. I also love the idea of helping people get healthier with food, both mentally and physically. Plus my own Grandma was able to get back on track when a dietitian helped her gain weight after having her teeth removed, I’d love to help people in that way – and I’ve started to feel that PR while a fun profession has always been a bit superficial. Additionally I feel a lot of my blows in this industry is because the industry is shrinking (like journalism) and the money is not in the industry that it once was, so I worry about how the industry will look in 10 years time.
Now I’m 28, and I’m at the cusp of making a lot of other big life decisions – I’m halfway towards saving for a house deposit, my partner and I are ready to move in together, we talk about doing things like travel, having a baby, buying a place to live and he also would like to do an MBA.
I know I’m not old, but I think about the 5 years a dietitian course will take… I feel this decision would be a lot easier if I was 21! So now I’m having all these questions, should I keep saving for a house deposit and buy a house? Should I study? Should my partner and I travel since he hasn’t had the travel the world experience? Should we have a baby?
I’m torn between staying on the path I’m on now in PR which will lead me to buying a property and having a baby, or jump into something I feel is my passion and that I’m called to but will potentially put that other path on ‘hold.’