Hi Hazel,

I came across this forum in a search for practical advice on how to handle having to keep a job you hate. I could have written your post almost word for word. I’m in almost the exact same boat. I’m working a helpdesk job that I hate, my boyfriend is unemployed and I’m the sole support for us… I have a cat rather than a dog, though. I feel stuck too; I’ve identified what I want to do with my life and the steps I have to take to get there, but I can’t do what I need to do since all my time revolves around the job and I can’t quit because of our financial situation. I know that feeling of hate building up and poisoning your soul. I often just sit here and stare at the screen in despair. So, oddly enough, I’m sitting at work in despair and that despair led me here.

What I’ve been trying to do is work towards goals I can reach now, which are spiritual and physical. I’ve been trying to counter the toll the depression and hate take on my body/mind/soul by taking care of myself. I go to acupuncture, work on my yoga practice, get exercise daily, and make sure to get outdoors and appreciate the beauty of nature. Making sure to eat food that nourishes me helps as well. I have a tendency towards depression anyway, as does my boyfriend, so I’m trying to be positive for the both of us since I also empathize with his situation and his anger surrounding not being employed. It’s a really difficult period, and it’s hard to see an end.

I’m glad that you have the support of the people here to draw strength from, and I hope you can find a way to ride out this stormy patch of your life with as little psychic pain as possible. Thank you for sharing your story. Namaste.