How do you know???
 

How do you know what you are supposed to do with your life??

I'm 24 years old and I feel like im having a mid-life crisis - or maybe its just a mid-twenties crisis. Whatever.

So I started a History degree about 5 years ago. I lasted one year and decided it wasn't what I wanted to do. I ended up completing a 3 year degree in childhood and adolescence studies and got a 2:1. Still no idea what I want to do. Someone suggested mental health nursing and I went along with it, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I'm halfway through the course and I keep getting these niggling doubts about whether or not I really want to be a nurse. Of course I will finish the three years and get my diploma, but all I can think about is training to be an outdoor pursuits instructor. Its like I have all these options and Im like a kid who has spent so long in the sweetshop trying to choose what they want that before they can make a decision the shop has closed.

I dont want to live my life training to be 50 different things and never really end up becoming any of them. Nothing feels right. My meds are working great and I feel a lot better physically but it still doesnt fix the problem of me just having no clue as to my purpose on earth. I think about killing myself just because its too hard to make a decision. How pathetic. Some people have no opportunities and here I am with the world at my feet and im whining cause Ive got too much choice. I know how selfish I sound but really, how do you make the decision of what to do with your life???

Hey,
I'm 26. I graduated college when I had just turned 22. I went through the same thing. It took me at least a year in school to figure out what I wanted to do. I ended up as a criminal justice major. In HS, I had no idea. It didn't help that my parents forced me to go away to school not what I wanted to do. Anyway, when I graduated, I got a job that I thought I wanted. I made no money and the job sucked. I moved to try to avoid my issues and got another job working with kids in a psychiatric unit. I loved it and that led me to getting a 2nd job at a girls group home. I eventually had to move back to Texas and again struggled with what I was going to do. I suffered through 2 crappy jobs, and even working 7 days a week, 2 jobs because I didn't make any money. Last April, I finally got hired doing what I decided that I want to do. I read a book, it's called "20 something, 20 everything" and basically, it's about this very problem. It's about how people our age have a "quarter life crisis" because you feel like you should be at a certain place in your life. That was exactly me. I recommend the book, it gives you exercises to do that can help you work through this. Don't worry though, you will figure it out. Everyone always does. You just have to take a few wrong turns to get there sometimes. I know I did...PM if you want to talk.

Hey, thanks for the reply, gonna try and get hold of the book. It's just nice to know that I'm not the only one panicking about having no direction in my life when everyone I know seems to have at least some idea!

Dom.xx

Definitely not alone! I'm surprised no one else had a response for this...

Hmm. At 23, i've realised i might never settle on one career but as long as i can be a good mum i'm happy. You'll find that one thing that clicks one day.

Yeah...usually right when I think there's no way on earth another opportunity will arise, it does. Sometimes in the strangest of ways. Just do what seems right to you right now...don't be worried about too many things. Life's about trying lots of things!!

xoxoxoxo

the thing is this...don't give up either. It took me 3ish years out of college to get a job I wanted...