This global situation has forced many of us to rethink our futures…
If you want to thrive, you must first survive. To achieve these outcomes, you must first be willing to adapt. There is no growth without change. If you do not adapt you will get stuck or left behind.
Getting stuck
Getting stuck in a job you do not enjoy is probably one of the worst things for mental health. For people with depression, stability and routine are important, but so is progress.
You spend all your time thinking about your free time, looking forward to finishing work or to specific events such as holidays or parties.
You waste your time now and do not fully enjoy the present moment. You think about the “what if…?”. It is not what you want but it is familiar. It is easy to stay because you do not need to change anything, but it can be hard on the soul long-term.
Psychologist Jordan Peterson sums it up well when talking to comedian Theo Von: “In 5 years you’re going to be just like you are now except a lot of what’s good about you is going to be gone and a lot more that’s terrible that’s going to be amplified. In 5 years you’re going to be 10 years older instead of 3 years older.” (Link here-watch from 6m45s for the full context).
Personal wake up call
I have already seen this in myself and it scares me. This cannot continue. Depression will not allow it long term for me. The risk of my life expectancy shortening increases the longer it continues.
Previously, I was close to quitting my main job to focus more time on my other job. However, the situation in the country I live has changed rapidly. Covid cases are now falling rapidly, but this situation has served as a wake up call.
I have been speaking to experienced teachers in the industry and it seems the future is not particularly bright if I follow the path I am currently on. Even if I stick with it, to make meaningful progress it seems I need to do further study to be able to compete.
Online teaching/English Teaching Industry
Online teaching has been great for my work-life balance and seeing family, but it is clear this form of teaching is not working for many students and parents. Ideally classes would be six students or fewer, but this is less financially viable as a business model.
Student numbers are in decline across the industry as we go into student recruitment season, and career growth opportunities have been limited in the industry for some time. I am told that pay has been falling for years in terms of inflation. I have not noticed this personally because I have been working my way up in terms of pay, but I will reach a ceiling soon.
Looking to other countries is not really an option either in the foreseeable future, as many schools rely on immigration. With borders closed around the world, many schools have gone out of business or shrunk drastically in size. Immigration policies will inevitably prioritise local job losses over jobs for immigrants.
Ultimately, I have minimal interest in the highly competitive opportunities that exist here or elsewhere, so I cannot put my whole heart into it.
Getting unstuck: Passion
I think this is the point. My heart is not in it. I am not at my best. My passion is in teaching adults. I see no income in that here. The industry rarely offers paid holiday either, so the only time off for me is public holidays or if I get sick. I feel like I am burning out.
The need to do further study got my wife and I thinking about a possible career change. If I need to spend years of my life and a lot of money studying, why not look for something I am actually passionate about that has a brighter future? There is so much potential outside of teaching English. This is the wake up call I needed.
I am now exploring opportunities in mental health as this (along with education) is an area I am passionate about. I enjoy helping people and it is great for depression and my soul.
Passion is something that is really important to me because of living with depression. Without it I am emotionless or dangerously apathetic. Passion is what drives me to survive and thrive.
Grasshopper vs ant
Whatever happens though, I have to look out for family first. I missed the deadline to study this year (and I do not know yet which path I want to take). Both jobs are unstable, so I cannot quit either without a solid plan. As long as teaching hours are available for now, I will probably continue for at least the next semester (if enough teaching hours remain) while I research, apply for and prepare for some form of further education/retraining.
My hours (and income) will inevitably drop in the coming months-I am an ant working through winter at the moment. This is not the time to be the grasshopper. I will keep working towards a better now and a better future, and I will thrive. Surviving is no longer enough for me.
Change will happen with or without you, but you can make a choice-stay stuck and accept the familiar, risking change being forced upon you, or take positive action to improve your life and live it on your terms.
How has the global pandemic affected you? Has it made you rethink your future?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cYuWLZI5kw -Jordan Peterson on alcohol (Jordan Peterson talking to Theo Von about jobs you hate and the risks of change vs not changing). Watch from 6m45s.
https://wordpress.com/post/monochromeglasses.wordpress.com/92 -Passion (my blog post)
thejourneyx 