Winds of Change

I've mentioned before that for the past 30 years I was a professional caregiver. I loved being a caregiver and worked hard at building my career. Unfortunately, the stress of corporate healthcare was a big part of my downfall. I am going through some serious burnout and can not return to that line of work. Just the thought of it causes anxiety. Since that was all I ever wanted to do with my life it has been hard to figure out where I go next.

I have been so incredibly lucky that Musicman has been able to give me the time and support I needed to figure out what I wanted and to go after it. It truly has been the best gift he could have ever given me, the gift of time. The gift of his unfailing support and encouragement when things looked so bleak. Starting over at middle age isn't easy and the current state of the economy hasn't helped.

One of the things I realized quite awhile ago is I no longer want a career. I don't mind the idea of having a job, I'm pretty high energy and need something to do. The income will help ease some of the burden from Musicman also. We live a pretty simple life, we don't need much and we like it that way, but some sense of security is nice too.

What I do want is balance between my work life and my home life. I genuinely enjoy taking care of my home and family. Musicman likes the fact that I enjoy pampering him, cleaning and cooking and baking for him. It means alot to me to be able to do that for him, and he deserves every second of it.

The work/job issue was the trigger that sent me spiralling last week. It is the one last piece of the puzzle I needed to be able to really move forward with my life. I now have that piece. I finally found a job.

I am not sure yet when I will start, probably next week, but I'm so excited about it. It is a stable company, which was super important to me. I have been laid off four times over the course of my career and I'm tired of starting over. It has everything I was looking for: close to home, so no long commute, flexible hours which will really help me maintain the home/work balance. It involves working with the public, I'm a people person and need that kind of interaction. There is alot of oppurtunity to learn and grow and move up in the company if I choose to do that. And, it involves cooking and cleaning, two of my favorite activities.

It is a part time position, with plenty of oppurtunity to pick up extra hours if I want them. That is one of the main things I was looking for. After years of working full time and raising my kids and caring for disabled relatives I want more time to pursue my own interests. Now I will have it and still be able to contribute financially. Musicman won't have to work as much as he is now, which means more time for us. That makes me very happy.

The winds of change are blowing, but they are blowing in a good direction.