Next!

I’ve been reading a book called Next! By Joannne Lipman which is mainly about career pivots but really can be applied to alot of changes. The process goes something like this: search, struggle, stop, solution. The author provides several samples of how the process works both in real life and also in literature. And I because this is my blog I will offer some examples of how it’s worked for me.

Eighth Grade:

Search: I had to leave public school, first for intensive therapy school (yes it’s a thing), second to spend the rest of the year home schooled by my mom and aunt. Yes, public school really messed me up.I was searching for companions my own age. Anyway, that leads us to the struggle.

Struggle: Making friends during home school since my social life was nonexistent. I was very lonely and during that time my only comfort were Marilyn Monroe biographies and my cousin Mary-Kate. I started trying out local youth groups and library groups with much success.

Stop: Although I had met several friends, I hadn’t met any “besties” yet because, as you know, that takes more than a few summer months. I felt frustrated like I would always be lonely.

Solution: Once I got to private school, I made friends right away friends since we were all in the same classes and we all did the same activities together- debate, newspaper, and theater. Plus I kept up with all my youth group friends and they got me through it when the private school girls got bitchy (it happened once in a while). They kept me grounded. I owe them alot,

My Major:

Search: It was hard to pinpoint what exactly my major would be. I was interested in criminology, psychology, literature and  many other things but I enjoyed working with children so I chose to major in primary education. The first year went great, especially my favorite class Exceptional Lives which talked about teaching children with special needs. But then I realized the idea of being in front of a classroom  responsible for teaching and molding young lives petrified me.

Struggle: I had spent three semesters studying primary education. I didn’t want to sink more money into a career I wasn’t sure I wanted plus I had started my cycle in and out of the psychiatric hospital (as a patient). I eventually chose to major in “counseling and human services” because so many counselors had changed my life (and some had made it worse).

Stop: I tried to commit suicide in my dorm room and that tends to put a career on hold. At first there was some talk of me going back to school to study (a local school) but I was done with school. I wasn’t sure if I could hold a career and thats a lot of money to shell out if you don’t even know if it’s going to work. 

Solution: Today I’m looking to make a living several different ways. I’ve started to do freelance writing which is something I thought I never thought I could do (for some reason I have weirdly low confidence in some areas). I might get paid to facilitate writing groups. And most of all I’m training to be a peer specialist (kind of like a counselor minus the college degree). I’m not saying I have everything figured out because God knows I don’t. But sometimes things do work out. And when they don’t? You just have to pivot and called “Next!”