Tired and wanting a change but don't know what it is...

[SteyrAUG]

A few things...

1. You have a job.

2. Your house is not in foreclosure.

3. Your marriage isn't in the shitter.

4. You have money for food, clothing, etc.

5. You aren't sick with some horrible disease.

Things can ALWAYS be better but they sure as shit can also be lots worse. Guess which one usually happens to most people?

Chill out, realize you are ahead of the game and don't do anything to screw it all up.

[Alaskapopo]

Little background info.

Was a cop in South Florida since 2006 and thought getting out of Miami would be a good idea so I took a state job and moved to North Florida. It is alright but still not feeling satisfied.

I have a wonderful wife, own my house free and clear, own my truck free and clear, only have 10k in debt due to a motorcycle accident (burned through my sick time but insurance didn't cover much due to the bike not being covered and the person hitting me not having coverage. The lapse in coverage was my fault due to a brain fart.) Health wise no issues at all. Even after the accident I'm good to go. Working on paying off my debt asap.

Having some thoughts of moving back to Miami but I have a feeling that I still won't be satisfied. Kinda feeling a bit discouraged in law enforcement and maybe want to do something else but not sure what it is. I like being a cop and love doing it because I actually believe in service ,honor, etc... but still feel discouraged sometimes. I have thoughts of starting a business but don't know what business to start or what options I have for loans or grants. I am hispanic and hate the idea of looking for race related services but I figure I pay into taxes so why not get the services I pay for. Also think of law school and maybe being a lawyer but then I think about how hard it is to get into the market since it is flooded with recent graduates. Also the idea of opening a business in this market scares me to death with the way the economy is being propped up on lies and the way the government is screwing people over.

I have no college degree and don't know what to get my degree in or if I should look at a trade school instead. Law School interests me as I said early but not sure on that either.

I feel that on one side I am doing great and on another I feel like crap? Turning 30 next year and just feel that I don't know where to go from here. Not sure on a lot of things except to keep a roof over our heads, put food on the table, keep my wife safe, and know for sure that she is the best thing in my life. I feel right now that I should have the world by the balls but instead I feel very insecure and nervous of what's around the bend in terms of the economy, liberty, and career growth. I don't want to risk what we have but I feel that we are in a no growth environment and I don't know what will allow us to grow.

Am I going through something normal? Is this how it felt under Carter? Am I going through some odd early midlife crisis?

The State Troopers up here are hiring and they pay well.
Pat

[polymorpheous]

A few things...

1. You have a job.

2. Your house is not in foreclosure.

3. Your marriage isn't in the shitter.

4. You have money for food, clothing, etc.

5. You aren't sick with some horrible disease.

Things can ALWAYS be better but they sure as shit can also be lots worse. Guess which one usually happens to most people?

Chill out, realize you are ahead of the game and don't do anything to screw it all up.

Smartest man in the room.
Listen to this advice.

[duece71]

I have been on medical leave from work for over 3 months. Reduced pay along with some other unfortunate circumstances makes me long to get back to work ASAP. You don't know how good you have it until its threatened. Stability and security are very nice.

[Pork Chop]

Smartest man in the room.
Listen to this advice.

My thoughts, too.


I pretty much despise my job and the choices I made to get here and would change them if asked to do it a over again (job only, not my family) ,but, the reality is I provide for my family, my wife doesn't have to work and can stay home with our kids, our shit is all paid for minus our home and other than wishing I'd chosen something else, our life is good and we're happy.

It may sound cynical, but I really feel like VERY few people do what they truly love. Most suck it up and provide.

Money isn't everything, but being flat ass broke is miserable. Happiness is relative.

[Moose-Knuckle]

I'm in the healthcare field. Been doing it for > 23 years. Pretty much despised it for > 23 years too.

However........

It pays my bills (wife is in healthcare too, between us we're comfortable, maybe upper-middle class----DINK). We take our vacations, I buy my toys. House with 22 acres *should* be paid off in 8 more years. 3 vehicles, one paid off. Both of us are VA employees so with my Army time I'm shooting for retiring at 62. Other than my job I like my life.

I just turned 48. I've gotta deal with this shit another 14 or so years. At this point a total career change is out of the question. Maybe a different job within the VA healthcare system that's less aggravating, but other than that I guess I'm here for the duration.

What is the point of this rambling? Well, very few people get to do for a living something that they ENJOY, or something that's a hobby too. Like if I opened a gunshop or such. The vast majority of us schleps have to suck it up and make a living that will most likely involve something we'd rather not be doing if it wasn't for the paycheck. That's why they call it "work"! For instance, I refuse to watch medical shows or read medical journals or articles. No interest whatsoever outside of my scheduled shifts.

Take heart. I've been in your position of apparent "despair-lite", then realized that other than my job my life was pretty decent----and that very job did indeed help make it that way financially. At 30 you are young enough to make a switch but consider if the cumulative experience you have is worth throwing away.



(caveat: I'm experienced and hold 2 credentials. I do my job thoroughly, professionally, and with a bit of OC, which isn't a bad thing in the medical field....I just don't like it and can't stand following lazy people, but you'll find them in any line of work I guess)

Great post and aligns with my thoughts on matter as well. One of the things that really jumped out at my background investigators when I went through the hiring process was my work history; never walked off a job, never quit, never been demoted or fired, etc. Reason I have not left my current job is that it pays well compared to other agencies in my area; I have good days off, pick whatever shift I want, and if I were to leave to go somewhere else there would be the same assholes, just different names and faces. I have been working since I was 16 YOA, I'm in my early thirties now and at every job I have ever had I encounter morons in positions of leadership . . . they're everywhere.

[Moltke]

Shoot more.

[Moose-Knuckle]

Since I got married; a lot of my priorities have changed. Things that I would have loved to do career wise when I was single now don't interest me. Just see being with her more.important and I do want to be a father.

As they should, this speaks volumes about you as a man. I know far too many "men" who did NOT change their priorities when they settled down, got married, and started a family. I'm on my second marriage myself. The ex always held my job against me. Never did I mistreat her, hit her, cheat on her, never drank our money away or blew it on boy toys. Always brought home the bacon, oh well I'm much happier now and I traded up . . . WAY UP!

It sounds like you have your head on straight and will make the right decision.

[JW5219]

A few things...

1. You have a job.

2. Your house is not in foreclosure.

3. Your marriage isn't in the shitter.

4. You have money for food, clothing, etc.

5. You aren't sick with some horrible disease.

Things can ALWAYS be better but they sure as shit can also be lots worse. Guess which one usually happens to most people?

Chill out, realize you are ahead of the game and don't do anything to screw it all up.

Read this. Read it again. Then think long and hard about priorities. Good luck!

[SteveS]

Don't "cut your nose off to spite your face."

I find myself in a similar predicament, while I'm grateful to be employed the agency I work for is run by people who are incompetent. It is a dysfunctional organization from top to bottom, no morale, high turnover rate, etc. Been there ten years now. I'm always looking at either going through the hiring process with another agency (though I'd rather commit ritual suicide) or just go into something else altogether. The wife and I do not have any kids yet but are looking at having a baby in a year or so; it get olds missing out on holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries all the while working for a bunch of ****ing idiots.

Being a cop or a fireman is like working retail. When the store is open you work and the store is open 24/7,,, you work holidays and weekends!