<p>Many of us are starting to have new perspectives on life, as many of us have raised child(ren) from birth through college and thinking about what might come next. This article in WSJ is an interesting perspective on what some individuals have done. Personally, I have gone from working in a personal injury firm to full-time parent with PTA, to special ed hearing officer to judge to now running a non-profit focused on public health. It has been an exciting journey! Some food for thought–find your “chocolate ice cream” and/or passion–if now now, when?</p>
<p>Timely article, HImom. This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately (maybe because I’ll be 49 next month ) Have been in healthcare administration on and off for 20 years and am, quite frankly, getting burned out. I’m really curious about how many CCers have done what you have done in terms of starting over career wise. I’m particularly interested in midlife changes (age 40-60):</p>
<p>Who has completely changed careers in midlife?
Who made a move to a different part of the country or even another country?
Moved from suburbs to a city setting? Large house to small apartment?
Divorced? Remarried?
Took up a new hobby? Finally pursued a lifelong dream?
Did you find a new, ‘unexpected’ passion? If so, how did you discover it?
What if you knew you wanted something different (career-wise) but didn’t know what you wanted to do - did you have a methodical way of investigating new careers and deciding?</p>
<p>Give us lots of details. Midlife is an important time of life - when people finally have the time, resources, experience to make major changes to their lives. I’m dying to know how people do it.</p>
<p>When my D was born, I “retired” as a school psychologist. I had already started an SAT prep workshop business, so for the first two years I just expanded my business.</p>
<p>I didn’t want my skills as a school psychologist to become dated, so I told people I would accept work on a contractual basis. I would take a few cases when a district would be overloaded. Fortunately, I never had to advertise, and always had more offers than I could accept. Because I had a workshop business, somewhere along the line, school districts contacted me to do presentations on a number of topics for teachers or parents or gifted kids. </p>
<p>Once D went to college, however, flexibility became a liability. I realized I was becoming a “stay at home DAUGHTER” and I was getting burned out. </p>
<p>I applied for, and was hired, to work as a Career Specialist at a small liberal arts college. The position is temporary right now, but they are looking to expand. It has been a breath of fresh air. I didn’t realize how much emotional energy my work as a school psychologist took from me. I worked with all age levels, but I had gained a reputation as being particularly good with older students and their families - that was nice - but exhausting. I am still taking cases, and the difference in how I feel after a day doing school psych stuff vs. career services is remarkable. </p>
<p>And do you know what is REALLY amazing? These college students actually take my advice & make appointments to return for MORE advice. It is so uplifting as a mom! :)</p>
<p>I have stayed in my same hometown for my journey, with same spouse. These reinventions were always MY idea, fully suppported by all my loved ones. I have no regrets.</p>
<p>I have a friend who was caregiver for her aging folks for a while & then in marketing for decades. Recently, she has been hired by an insurer & is a community liason and sets up & participates in many community health events throughout our state. I believe she has also always lived in HI.</p>
<p>I have a relative who went from being an insurance defense attorney to commercial loan officer to now in-house counsel for a bank. He’s much happier now. Another friend has gone from working for the state in the Commission on Aging to being a volunteer to now working part-time at her kid’s school. Another friend went from being a nurse to being a full-time mom to now working in case management for various worker’s comp insurers, urging patients to get appropriate treatment & back to work. She also works on-call for my non-profit at our community health fairs.</p>
<p>My mom went from being full-time mom, back to school for her masters in special ed & then worked as a special ed substitute & full-time teacher for years until the last of us graduated from grad school & then happily resigned.</p>
<p>Most of these career changes have been when we’ve been in our 40s-60s, to some of us have made multiple changes throughout our lives. The changes have been interesting and somewhat scary but always invigorating and enlivening. Our neighbor went back to school after her kids had all finished & became a palliative care doc – seems to love her new profession.</p>
) Have been in healthcare administration on and off for 20 years and am, quite frankly, getting burned out. I’m really curious about how many CCers have done what you have done in terms of starting over career wise. I’m particularly interested in midlife changes (age 40-60):</p>