Pre mid-life crisis!

[Another U2 nut!]

I don't know where to go from here. I'll tell you first where 'here' is. I'm nearly 27 years old, and I've just returned to the city of my upbringing after spending 2 years, 1 month and 3 days living in a large remote town. I went there for work in 2005, moving about 1700 kilometres from everything I've ever cared about.

Well, life in this new town was a disaster. It's crime infested compared to where I am now, and I was robbed a couple of times. Then I had to take a real estate agent to court, had 2 psycho flatmates in a row (one tried to commit suicide-bipolar, very sad) and I had a very stressful job as a high school teacher. Add to that, I just couldn't get along in this place. It was small and confining, and people were closed and narrow-minded. People shut me out, and so while I was going through all these terrible things with my family and friends being so far away I had little support.

I was desperately lonely, and because of traumatic events I was on edge the whole two years, until it got to the point where I was headed for a nervous breakdown. Then I approached my boss this January and he put in a transfer for me and gave me leave of absence til next year. The education dept will transfer me into a job in my old city then. I packed up and left this awful town behind me, and now I'm on stress leave and living with my parents.

The problem I now have is: I don't know what job I will do. I don't want to teach again in the foreseeable future because of all the stress and all the crap you've gotta put up with. Yet there are things I loved about teaching like building relationships with the kids and talking about literature, and the fact that the job was never boring. But I cannot- I think of the good things, but the bad things outweigh the good.

So I'm confused. I can go back to teaching or I can try something else. I just don't want to go back to the classroom. But I don't know what else. I don't want to work in a shop or something like that because I will be bored stupid. I don't like holing up in an office either. I have a bad back so I can't do a lot of physical-type work either! I love literature and writing, and exercising my creativity. I need something that's going to not stress me out and send me packing back to the psychologist like teaching (you'd be supprised how many teachers end up in psychologists' offices) nor do I want something that's going to bore me out of my wits.

I'm seriously confused. I'm at the stage of life where I'm not just gonna do any job like I did to put myself through university, because I hated all those jobs. I now feel like I deserve to be able to do something I'm going to like. Problem is, I don't really know anymore...

Thanks for listening to me! Any advice or comments are most welcome.

 

[Angela Harlem]

Your local library. Either try and work in one, or try and start some programmes or something to pass the time until you get on your feet. Do something that involves literature and kiddlies. Kids that love books are a delight. All others are evil, but that's another thread.

Sounds like you have had a really tough time in the last couple of years. I'd say don't stress yourself into another corner until you've recuperated, and have the strength to get excited about life again. Take it easy. There's no rush.

Good luck, eh.

 

[MooMoo!]

What aspect of the teaching was stressful? It may not be the same in another school. I know of one or two teachers in my olf high school, who because they had such a bad experiance on their first teaching job never went back. its a shame really.

what about primary school? perhaps that wouldnt be so bad.

 

[TheQuiet1]

Your local library. Either try and work in one, or try and start some programmes or something to pass the time until you get on your feet. Do something that involves literature and kiddlies. Kids that love books are a delight. All others are evil, but that's another thread.

I think that's an excellent idea. All my local libraries run activities for kids weekly (I know you're a high school teacher but hey). I'm assuming that isn't unique to the UK and Oz libraries will do something similiar so you'd get to work with kids and literature that way.

Anyway, best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[Merlot Goddess]

The title of the thread caught my eye because I felt bad in my early twenties and totally unhappy where I was living/with what I was doing that I felt on the brink of a breakdown. It's good that you've got out of the stressful situation for sure!

I think the library advice is good... At least there, the atmosphere would be stress-free and you could help people who come to you for assistence rather than trying to help people who are there because they are told to be.

Good luck with it!

 

[Mr. Green Eyes]

I agree with the library idea. If you love literature and writing then you should be in something that you feel like would best go with what you love to do. Plus, then you will be able to help people and have an unlimited supple of books to borrow!!

But you should also get some relaxation before you start anything. Visit friends, hang out, do something fun. Talk to your friends and family about what you should do for a job. Put down the pros and cons of what you want in a job, then go out and find what you think is the perfect job for you. But take it one step at a time, don't overwhelm yourself.

Hope that everything turns out alright, and good luck.

 

[DILETTANTE]

You didn't say exactly what about the teaching job was stressful -- so...as others have said, you might want to try a different type of teaching. Tutoring -- either privately or with an educational organization -- might be a good way to go. You would get a lot of what most people like about teaching, without the stress of being a disciplinarian, or of managing large classes. There might also be more freedom with things like curriculum development, chosing what subjects to teach, choosing what age groups you might want to work with, and so on. Best of luck!

 

[Carek1230]

It sounds to me like your passion is working with kids, and that you enjoy teaching kids. Staying in that profession in some fashion is what I believe will keep you happy. Whatever the stress is about teaching though you should avoid. It's no fun to have a job that's stressful and causes grief. As stated above, I agree with the library idea. Or check with the City as they usually have programs where you can work with kids. Daycare? Daycare centers? Not sure if that is something you might enjoy. I do believe if you don't enjoy your profession it's not worth working in that job. I'm sure your leave of absence for whatever reason is a good idea....I always believe things happen for reasons. Take the time to search your soul for the answer to what you really truly want to do, what makes you happiest without the stress. The answer will come to you, then all you have to do is find it. Don't settle for less, take your time. Good luck!