- This topic has 5 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 12 months ago by Jerris.
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December 25, 2014 at 4:05 pm #69802JerrisParticipant
I graduated from college last year with a degree in Political Science. When I started college, I wanted to go to law school, but I decided against it. Then I got interested in international politics and wanted to go to grad school, but that fell through. Now over a year later, I have a job a Ross Dress For Less (and I hate it). I’m 24 and I don’t really know what I want to do with my life. I’ve read countless articles on this site, but my fears and doubts still hold me back. What I really want to do is teach abroad. But I come from a family where that type of thing is discouraged. I’ve read about finding your passion and whatnot. And I really do think my passion is traveling and teaching, but I have so many fears, concerns etc. that I’m too scared to even try. It also doesn’t help that I live in a small town.
I know I’m not truly happy, but I don’t know what to do. I always worry about what others will think and what other people will say. I’ve read that this is what people call a “quarter life crisis”. I just don’t know. I’ve graduated from college and I’ve also traveled abroad before, but I don’t know where this fear and insecurity is coming from, I’ve never felt this confused and I absolutely hate it! What should I do?
December 26, 2014 at 4:32 am #69831CherryTeaParticipantHi I was you last year and you yet again this year (with different circumstances).
I came from a family that discouraged similar things in working abroad as a teacher, but to get over it I went and tested the waters beforehand by doing small 1 week teaching options in and around Europe (I live in the UK). For you to get over that initial fear, and to send a clear message to your parents and family, I would advise going to a different part of your country and doing some kind of short course support teaching.I want to remind you that our limitations are in our mind, and other people’s words are just what they are – words. It took a year of depression to realise that I have control over my future and choices if I just made those decisions. Family may put you down but its because they are frightened too. They too have put themselves under limitations, and seeing you take a brave step frightens them. But its okay to be a little frightened yourself, but as long as you are excited for the road ahead.
Try this, sit with your feelings, listen to them and for every thought that holds you back counter it with a good thought so for example: I am so confused= “I have multiple paths I can take in my life and I am lucky”
I am too scared= “I can do this. I am brave. I have made brave decisions before”What I call this is to “make yourself uncomfortable by being kind to yourself” we are used to being so critical of ourselves and this man-made idea of quarter-life crisis is to reinforce that self-criticism and self-loathing. These ‘crises’ are just to remind you that you are not complying with societies observations of where you should be and my advice is to ignore them. It’s okay to be where you are. We are all on different journeys and to be sound with yours is the first step to compassion.
I too am 24, I moved abroad last year to teach, circumstances didn’t work out, I became depressed and came home. For a whole year I was beating myself up for not being at a certain place, for not having a job, for being depressed and- let’s just say I was very very unkind to myself and treated myself badly. It was a year of bad feelings towards myself and a breakup with my boyfriend a couple of weeks ago to realise how much I had let my mind control my thoughts, how much I allowed everyone else to control my path and how much I was disrupting my own ‘flow’ in life. Now I am taking small sturdy steps to get there again and its on my terms. I have to trust myself, other people and the family you are around cannot be changed but the one person in control of you is YOU. You can command that change!
Listen to yourself. Listen to your body- not the negative mind- and make yourself uncomfortable by being kind to yourself. Trust that you are where you want to be because coming to these boards for this advice shows something fantastic- you are reaching out for that help! 🙂 You are getting ready to take those steps, be proud of yourself, I am of you 🙂
Namaste 🙂
- This reply was modified 9 years, 12 months ago by CherryTea.
December 26, 2014 at 5:32 am #69834InkyParticipantHi Jerris,
I really like Cherry Tea’s suggestions!
Also, you are so lucky! You know what your “themes” are. So many people don’t! As long as you are travelling somewhere and teaching something you will be OK. I hear you about the parent’s disapproval and living in a fishbowl. So maybe this year take a road trip and teach/tutor in your community. Then travel and work in another county. Then another state. Then the world! Pretty soon travelling and teaching will be so much a part of your nature, that your parents will get used to it. In fact, if you’re not travelling and teaching somewhere they might get anxious about it someday! LOL
Be Bold!
Inky
December 26, 2014 at 7:46 am #69838CherryTeaParticipantI support Inky with their suggestions on road trip and tutoring too! That’s a fantastic idea because when they see you are happy doing your passion, it will become infectious and then the only way will be up!
December 27, 2014 at 2:12 pm #69879JerrisParticipantThank you all so much for your advice and tips. I just can’t describe what I’m feeling. I mean, teaching abroad is something that I’ve been wanting to do for a few years now and I’ve had a teaching stint here at home, but doubt and insecurity keeps creeping up. It’s like I feel like I can’t do anything for myself. It’s like I always have a fear of messing things up. I keep feeling like if I leave that I’m going to end up missing something back, but there’s nothing keeping me back here really. And I often worry that if I do this what will other people think/say. And my parents won’t listen because they want me to be stable and move out and get my own health insurance and whatnot, but something keeps nagging at me about wanting to teach abroad at least for a year. And I know I need to stay off Facebook, because seeing my friends getting married and having kids and living their lives makes it even worse.
December 27, 2014 at 4:26 pm #69882JerrisParticipantI also forgot to add this may be a bit of wanderlust on my part. I, for some reason, just feel like I need to leave my hometown and away from so many familiar people influencing me (I talked to someone else who suggested this). And it also doesn’t help that a fortune cookie said “you will step on the soil of many countries in your lifetime” lol. And my mother wants me to hurry and get a teaching certificate and settle down and have it all figured out, but I just feel like I need to get away and be by myself for a while. I’m not trying to escape reality and responsibility. But I’ve lived in the same place, with the same people for 24 years ugh! I’m just scared and so insecure and worried about what others will say if I charge through with this idea.
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