We are expected to decide on and choose a career path when we are teenagers or young adults, heading off to college with our favorite majors in mind. And while some of us know the careers that suit us and would make us happy, not all of us are lucky enough to decide on the right job that’ll fulfill us or keep us satisfied. This could be because we chose incorrectly, perhaps deciding on a career because of pay over our true interests. Or it could be because our personalities have adapted over the years and what we once loved has fallen to the wayside and we no longer enjoy our chosen career path. But what can you do if you wish to start a new career?

Luckily, you no longer have to be stuck in a job that you dislike and get no enjoyment from. There are many options and paths you can take to make the transition from your current job to your next. You may wish to stay in the same industry (or even at the same company!) but work in a different team (e.g., move from marketing to sales). Or you may want to change careers and industries all together which may require you to head back to school and study for certain qualifications.

Are you unsure on whether a new career is for you, or are you unable to think about jobs that may interest you? If so, then read on for more information on how to start a new career path.

Signs You May Need a New Career

Before you start the motions of changing your career, you need to consider whether this is, in fact, the right course of action for you. Having a singular bad day for a couple of tough weeks can make even the most strong–willed of us wish to quit and try our hand at a new career, but sometimes these feelings are fleeting and fade away into nothing as we realize that we were overworked and overemotional, and that we do like our jobs. Making a rash decision and deciding to quit can have devastating consequences, so you need to be sure that this is the right move for you.

Now, there are two categories when it comes to reasons that you may wish to find a new job. The first category contains circumstantial reasons. For instance, does your job require you to relocate? Do you not fit in with the company? Is the company closing down, etc. Of course, these reasons would typically push a person to find a similar job just with a different company.

Personal reasons can be the biggest contributing factor to you wanting to start a whole new career path. These reasons can be:

• Does your work constantly wear you down? Do you feel tired and exhausted most of the time, and is it impacting your physical and mental wellbeing?

• Do you struggle to see yourself working the same job for the rest of your life? A lifetime is a long time, and you need to be content with the job you have if you are to stay within the field for many years to come.

• Is the money you make no longer satisfying? Does your paycheck no longer cover the boredom or unhappiness you experience at work?

• Have your interests changed? Does the work you do no longer satisfy you?

• Do you believe that your talents could be best used elsewhere?

• Does your current job simply not give you joy?

If any of the above reasons resonate with you, then it could be a sign that you should start looking for a new career. Take your time when deciding whether this is the right move for you, and if you have trusted family and friends, be sure to discuss this option with them for further clarity. They may also offer you additional support that could make the transition between careers much smoother.

Decide on Your Next Career

If you have come to the conclusion that you would like to make a career change, then it’s time for you to consider which career is right for you. Make a list of your interests and your talents, and see whether they align with one another and point you in the direction of a specific career. For instance, are you a caring and nurturing individual who is also highly organized but also possesses strong communication skills? If so, then you may wish to consider training to become a nurse.

A Career in Healthcare

A career in healthcare is a tough but rewarding path for you to take and consider. If you haven’t got any existing qualifications, then you will have to head back to school to train. However, working in healthcare can be satisfying and allow you to make a difference, making the return to school worthwhile.

If you wish to become a registered nurse, then you will need to acquire a BSN or MSN. Once this has been obtained, you can further your education so that you can focus on a specific niche that you excel or have great interest in. Baylor University offers online DNP programs in Executive Nurse Leadership, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Nurse-Midwifery, amongst many other programs. Deciding to focus in a specific type of nursing can help you earn job satisfaction.

A Career in Education

Educating young minds or teaching adults like yourself can be a rewarding career choice. And much like the healthcare industry, you can make a difference as you help educate the great minds who could excel and offer greatness to the world. However, to become a teacher, you will need certain qualifications and may need to head back to education yourself.

Typically, you will need to hold a bachelor’s degree in any subject that interests you. And pass any required state exams. You are likely required to participate in a job placement experience. So that you gain hands-on experience. You may also start off as a teacher’s assistant and have to work your way up to becoming a fully-fledged teacher.

Understand that it Could Take Time

Changing your career does not happen overnight. It can take time, so you will need to be patient. Avoid being hasty when transitioning between careers so that you can ensure that you have the financial and emotional support to make the move. Because it can be quite taxing on a person (especially if you are heading back to school). And remember to practice self-care and look after yourself.

If after reading the above article you feel as though it is time for you to make the move and start a new career path, be sure to put the proper moves in motion. This means looking up the skills and qualifications needed for your new field; whether you need to obtain certain certificates; and whether you are able to study full-time or may need to keep your current job and juggle the two for now. Either way, a change in career can be exciting!

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I’m penning this in spite of the party poopers that feel like after 21, there are no more milestones to look forward to (other than getting old).

Today, in this body, I’ve been witness to so many milestones – both visible and invisible (like, for instance, getting my ears pierced for the first time a few weeks ago!). Looking back, I realize I spent so much time looking forward to society’s markers of adulthood, and now it feels as though I’ve largely arrived.

In a way, like if life were a video game, I do feel a sense of accomplishment in realizing I have gotten to this level and somehow managed to stay alive.

Still, the fervor with which I yearned to reach many of these milestones seems largely displaced. I would surely tell my younger self that driving honestly isn’t that fun, college graduation will most definitely be online, and tequila is the devil. In true Aquarius fashion, I’ve identified my act of defiance: creating my own milestones, ones that hold meaning and are reflective of what matters to me. That’s why, for my 22nd birthday, I’ve decided to launch my own website!

The past few years, though they have been incredible, have arguably been a time of confusion and exploration. I mean, I guess that’s college for everyone, but it has felt so starkly opposite to the clarity of vision I held as my younger self.

My life before college was devoted to riding horses. I lived on farms, drove horse trailers thousands of miles, and dreamt of one day doing it all on my own. There was a fire within me to chase down something that was largely intangible, and that feeling honestly still astonishes me. Clearly, there is so much power in defining and chasing your passion and I’m thankful every day for the people that recognized something in me and went out of their way to support me.

Needless to say, so much of who I am is because of them and I find that so beautiful.

In many ways, I accomplished what I set out to do: showing at horse shows across the country while never owning a horse of my own, and soaking up all the knowledge I could along the way. It never dawned on me that there might be other sides to myself that I had yet to uncover. Of course, life has an interesting way of redirecting us.

Going to college, unbeknownst to me, I was steadily investing in my writing skills. Through my coursework, interviews with female entrepreneurs for The Bloom Journal, writing about concerts in DC for WVAU, and lending my voice to The Blackprint, I found myself typing way more than I think I had originally intended.

After working all year, summer break was the first real time in 5 years I truly had no obligations, so obviously I booked a flight to Europe.

It was in the back of a Megabus headed to New York to catch my flight that I thought about keeping a blog to document my travels for my friends and family. For two years, I have maintained my Tumblr page, recounting my experience with police brutality, my love for travel, and even some of my struggles as a young person trying to figure out love and life.

Time and time again, against my better judgment, I pushed back against the people around me when the idea of investing in myself and creating a real site was brought up. Sometimes, the plainest truths rest right under our noses. All along I have been developing my voice and purpose as a writer, though I was arguably the last person to come to that realization. My love for storytelling and traveling has shaped my experiences and the life I live, but I don’t think I ever recognized any real value outside of the fact that they make me happy.

Today, I’m thankful to the people around me that have supported me and pushed me to create. You all saw something I was completely blind to.

I am a writer, which, I must say, feels kind of crazy to type out. I’m stating it unequivocally because if writing has taught me anything, it’s that our words hold power, far more than we will ever be able to comprehend.

Through lilmigsbigworld.com my aim is to cultivate a space to share my stories. Please go check it out and let me know what you think! It’s been a long time coming, and honestly something I wish I had done ages ago. Alas, one can’t rush the process, and, if anything, continuing to work on this site has shown me how restorative investing in something that is “yours” can be.

Writing might not always be a driving force for me, but, today, it feels like one of the few things that makes sense. There are certainly plenty of unknowns but it feels as though I’ve found my North Star yet again. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in these 22 years, it’s that life is far too short to not be doing something that stirs something within you. I’m not envisioning a fairytale, because, without a doubt, there are tough days where you literally end up crying in a manure pile (ask me how I know lol).

Those days are definitely not fun, but they make the other days, the awesome/phenomenal/insanely blessed days, that much more valuable.

Good or bad, it doesn’t matter… As long as I can find meaning in the effort I’m putting forth, life will handle the rest. Now, I’m learning to breathe in patience. Life really is not a race, and have no intentions of seeing it flash by. I’m setting my own milestones. Who knows, maybe the next one is a book?