Career not in line with my values...?

shergal_farkey

Hi all,

Just throwing this out there to see what comes back...'a la boomerang' effect:

I have career-changed a couple of times and now work as an accountant. Growing up, I (think!) I was interested in creative pursuits (writing, the arts etc.) and spirituality and I have basically found myself having an existential crisis for years now where I find that I seem to have very little in common with those around me (never/rarely seem to meet people I click with in my line of work).

I often wonder if my difficulty in meeting like-minded people is to do with working in a field that I find brings me no joy/satisfaction (albeit I am proud of my achievements and the work that I put in).

I am now thinking about training as a counsellor with the hope and intention of finding more sincere and meaningful contact with people as I feel drained by my office life and feel sad that seems to be impossible to meet proper friends through my work. I consider myself to a person who has a lot of empathy for others and this type of work now seems to appeal to me for this reason (I think...).

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar? I avoided creative pursuits because I found them to be a little self-indulgent and that didn't feel quite right as a career either - not sure if I would have found my happiness there.

I have found most of my working life unsatisfying and I feel that I am not contributing to the world in the positive way that I would like to and I feel that my working relationships are very shallow and that I am not growing as an individual. I spend a lot of time thinking about this...

Can anyone else relate?

padma

shergal_farkey wrote: »

Hi all,

Just throwing this out there to see what comes back...'a la boomerang' effect:

I have career-changed a couple of times and now work as an accountant. Growing up, I (think!) I was interested in creative pursuits (writing, the arts etc.) and spirituality and I have basically found myself having an existential crisis for years now where I find that I seem to have very little in common with those around me (never/rarely seem to meet people I click with in my line of work).

I often wonder if my difficulty in meeting like-minded people is to do with working in a field that I find brings me no joy/satisfaction (albeit I am proud of my achievements and the work that I put in).

I am now thinking about training as a counsellor with the hope and intention of finding more sincere and meaningful contact with people as I feel drained by my office life and feel sad that seems to be impossible to meet proper friends through my work. I consider myself to a person who has a lot of empathy for others and this type of work now seems to appeal to me for this reason (I think...).

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar? I avoided creative pursuits because I found them to be a little self-indulgent and that didn't feel quite right as a career either - not sure if I would have found my happiness there.

I have found most of my working life unsatisfying and I feel that I am not contributing to the world in the positive way that I would like to and I feel that my working relationships are very shallow and that I am not growing as an individual. I spend a lot of time thinking about this...

Can anyone else relate?

Hi Shergal,
I can see where you are coming from and know that we sometimes don't feel satisfied with what we have in front of us. Maybe I'm off track here though to my understanding it is not what you do in life that is important, it is How you are in doing it that is.

In the past I worked in the charity sector for a number of years. The goal was to help as many people as possible and make a dent in the world. Sometimes I would get frustrated at the lack of empathy others had towards the people I worked for. Peoples attitudes seemed so outrageous and wrong, so it felt there was a battle with every person met, to convince them to be more compassionate and thoughtful in their lives.

In reality it is like throwing your head against a brick wall but being happy to do so as you saw some wonderful things happening for people. But when looking back it seems them times were full of stress and worries. Continuously trying to do something, to be someone etc etc etc. Then took time off and travelled the world, got involved in some beautiful meditation and started to genuinely realize from my Heart that things like being happy and Loving towards others is a natural attitude of our Being.

Now I'm considered to be in a boring type of Job, working for the man as they say, But truthfully I'm more happier and have a better opportunity to grow spiritually now than I did when in my previous role. The reason, ATTITUDE, 100%. No longer seeing people as seperate from me, but as a brother, or sister, sharing this world together.

It is a great thing to be in a role where you help others, but, if the motivations behind it are to help yourself get out of a rut, will you be the best at your new role?

Sometimes Change is a wonderful thing, and a change of environment is too. Yet it is inside we need to change, as when you wake up, you will still be shergal, you will still have the same skin, eyes, nose, personality etc, unless something inside starts to shift. Start off every day being grateful for this life, move on to your career, your house, your friends, that old lady you meet every morning in the coffee shop etc, etc, etc. Bring in the New Year, intending to just be. Let every moment become a gift for you to Open your Heart and share some of that happiness deep within you.

You can grow spiritually in any role, sometimes the tougher roles, the ones that seem to lack growth are the very specially designed ones to help you to understand a deeper purpose for your life and being.

WLL
Padma

Corkgirl210

Hi Shergal,

I hear ya... we may spend 8 hours a day in work and although we can be spiritual in any role.. why cant we enjoy what we do??.. surely we can give more of ourselves when we are at our happiest? I've done mind numbing accounting before and it is soul destroying at times.. I think it does depend on one's attitude (as last poster said) but also depends on what talents/personality you have.

I seen recently on tv where a priest said that the poorest people are those who never reach their potential or work with their god given talent.. I agree with him totally!

Sending you thoughts of courage! KEEP Reaching for those stars, you deserve the best!

shergal_farkey

Thanks Rayanne - I'm defintiely changing my career - I have my heart set on it to be honest with you.

Jenneke87

Follow your bliss, a wise man once said. If that's what you want to you do, the rest will unfold itself. Go for it!

shergal_farkey

Thanks J.

hiorta

Please consider Padmas view.
BY changing yourself you change the world.