My daughter (8) wants to me a mechanical engineer when she grows up. She says she already has the skills. My other daughter (6) wants to be a vet – like most kids do at some point. We don’t really talk about their career choices, but I’m all for exploring their interests. And you know what? If they change their mind, it’s no big deal. Last year the 8-year-old wanted to be an architect.
Speaking of interests: I love signing my kids up for soccer, t-ball, dance lessons, piano, etc. Well, I don’t always love the shuffling out the door, but I am happy that the kids are trying things. They have the benefit of not knowing how much those sign-ups cost and don’t care about the forgotten cleats in the garage, but that’s the beauty of it. Oh, you want to try it? Sure! Wouldn’t it be great if we, as adults, could just say, “I’d like to try it” and then, you know, actually DO it.
I think we worry about commitment. Let me re-phrase: I worry about commitment. I’m sure there are several slackers out there who don’t care. But we are a different breed, you and me.
The other beauty of all the activities our kids have tried is that they are for a specific amount of time. I make the kids finish out the season or lesson or whatever, and if they want to sign up for the next session, so be it. If not, we move on. The commitment is there, but super-limited. I’m trying to not torture them but instill the importance of seeing things though. So far it’s worked.
Maybe it’s time for it to work for me?
So let’s start with the hobbies: if you want to learn to crochet or take up the ukulele, you have the ability to go to the store/internet and get started. YouTube is really all you need to learn something new. If you want to start running, get some new kicks. Sports leagues for adults exist, but might be harder to find. If you want to play kick ball, ask your friends on Facebook if they can spare an hour every Saturday morning to meet at the local park. It won’t always be easy, but it can be done.
Ah, but what about careers? What if you change your mind about what you want to be when you grow-up? If an architect decides that veterinary medicine is really their passion, some education and training are going to be necessary. It’s not so easy.
I went to high school with two girls who lived on the same street. Yesterday, one of those women posted on Facebook that she is changing her career path and starting the training next month. The same day, the other woman posts, “Name some up and coming career ideas for the next 20 years of my life…” The first friend got lots of comments of support. The second got a lot of empathy. “Me, too!” What?? So I have to wonder, are we all in some sort of mid-life crisis? I have to admit, it was nice to see so many of my friends in the same boat. They know they want change, but it’s kind of scary and they aren’t sure what that change IS. And do they go back to school? How will these changes affect their family – both financially and in regard to time?
Commiseration loves company?*
Well, good. That’s what the point of this blog was in the first place. Let’s figure it out together. Maybe we need to regress a bit and think like a kid. Even kids get to go to their parents’ place of work some days – perhaps we need someone to let us in on what makes them happy in their career. (Remember my “Take-a-stranger-to-Work” idea?) While we’re at it, we should look into those summer camps for adults and have birthday parties with lots of cake and party hats.
So if you are looking for your next step, just know that you are not alone! I will be your Commiserator. (Not Commissar… that’s something else.)
* (I wanted to say commisery loves company, but that’s not a word. And we’re not really miserable, but we can be co-miserable together, too.)
Finding Your Currency 