Hello,
I’m new to posting to this forum, however I enjoy reading they many posts and comments of support. I’m hoping some of you to offer me support/advice as well:

I’m about to turn 25, I recently broke off a 4 year relationship with my live-in partner. The relationship was very painful, although we both loved each other I found that the relationship had become toxic and we were wounding each other, so after a great deal of contemplation I decided to end it. Since the relationship ended I have been trying to decide how to move forward in my life. I currently work for a non-profit, a pre-school for low income children and families. I love my job for the most part, I work with really amazing people and I enjoy being able to help and make a difference. Sometimes the job stresses me out, but overall I enjoy it. I also work part-time in a voice studio for additional income (my primary job doesn’t pay enough for me to manage my bills).

I would like to go back to school, but I have been feeling a lot of uncertainty and doubt about it. Back when I was in college, I planned to go to law school for public interest law and was accepted into a top law school. I ended up taking a year off to rest after college, and got a job at a law firm. The law firm was a very toxic place, my boss was degrading and mean to me and the stress was too much to handle. Plus, the cost of law school would have put me in an enormous amount of debt, and I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to pay it all back. Finally, my ex-partner was working in part time in retail at the time, she didn’t finish college and had no real plans of going back. A part of me felt embarrassed about this, so ultimately I decided not to go. My parents were very upset that I didn’t go to law school. Growing up, they always stressed how important it was to have a real career and make a lot of money. When I was getting ready to go to college and I told them I wanted to do non-profit work, they got really mad at me. They want me to make money so I can help support them and the rest of my family, when all I ever really wanted to do was have a career where I could be happy and make a difference in the world.

Now I’m trying to decide what to do next, and I have been thinking of going back to school for a master’s in public administration. However a part of me thinks that this would be stupid, that I wouldn’t make any money and struggle in life, and that I should be doing something more practical where I could earn more money. It’s the same thing with my current job, I always feel like I’m dumb to be working here and not making much money, and that I should be more successful. I feel torn up inside and not sure what to do, or not sure what I really want. Any advice or support would be much appreciated.

• This topic was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by tinybuddha.
• This topic was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by tinybuddha.