I wanted to be a professional tennis player… 🙂 My spa career has been fabulous, though, and I’ve recently thought of teaching tennis again (I taught in college).

In all injury recovery, my BEST support has been the exercises I have been given by my pt, chiro and even massage therapist. Stretching is GOLD. 🙂

Definitely. I was an engineering major and decided with 1 year left that I didn’t want to be an engineer…I’d rather be a writer!

Oddly enough, when I was little I dreamt of being a writer. Once I hit high school, I decided to pursue engineering/science and now here I am, back to wanting to write!

isn’t it crazy to look back and think what might’ve happened? i thought about PT too, but i just wasn’t in love with it. i would like to say i’m in the middle of a career change right now too…but we’ll see where it all takes me 🙂

I went to school to be a teacher and now I work in insurance! I am sure I will change careers a few more times too 🙂 I’ve never known what I truly wanted to do so I want to try more things out.

Who knows, maybe someday you’ll be able to go back to school. I’d say for now, your career is pretty awesome!

I’m yet to find my career path! I’m doing a degree in psychology, which I thought was what I wanted, but it most definitly isn’t 🙁
It’s crazy how much you’re life has chnaged- it must be awesome!

I’ve had so many career paths in my 28 years! Since I was young and up through college (and to an extent today), I wanted to be a news reporter. More specifically, I wanted to be co-host of the Today show. Then I graduated college and worked in HR for five years. I took a few MBA classes (hated it) and after a family medical scare, decided to go to nursing school. I secretly took pre-reqs much like you did for physical therapy school. I got into nursing school and was there for about 8 months when another family medical scare required I take time off. Since then (March ’10), I began working at a library and am now set to start library school in January. It is much more closely related to my original plan than one would think. Both careers require finding answers and putting information together in an understandable fashion. I still hope to one day do something more journalism related but for now, I’m happy. 🙂

I’ve been on a solid career path (social science research) but now want to change to something entirely different (family therapy), but can’t right now. I’m solving the problem (for now) by volunteering doing the kind of work that I’d one day like to transition to.

I’m sort of approaching a potential crossroads in my life. Which is good b/c I’ve had a pretty steady path the past few years, so I’ve been in a good place to prepare for it. Anyway, next spring I’m getting married and my fiance will graduate from med school, and right now, we don’t know where we’ll be going for his residency. So if we stay here, I’ll keep my job (which I love) but we’ll switch apartments (ours is pretty run down) and start trying to have a baby. If we go somewhere else I plan to wait a year before trying to have a baby and if I get a job in my field I’ll stay in my field. If I don’t get a job in my field I’m seriously considering going back to school to become a registered dietitian b/c I love nutrition and think and read and talk about it all the time.
So there are a lot of if’s in my future!

I got a degree in Pyschology thinking I would go onto a Masters in School Psychology. After graduating, decided I wanted to teach. Got my degree in Elementary Education, substitute taught for a year but couldn’t get a permanent job due to oversaturation and lack of positions. Now I work for an accounting firm and don’t think I want to go back to teaching due to the high stress/inflexibility of the job (my job now is low stress/highly flexible). If I could do it all over, I would become a Speech and Language Pathologist.

What is the purpose of holding the broomstick? Did the doctor explain?

I thought of you at the grocery store today. They are stocking the shelves with canned pumpkin here in Maryland.
Thanks for the pumpkin recipes!

i’m seeing dr. jeff too! he must have a great recruiter. 😉

Other than those five years when I desperately wanted to be a princess, I’ve been on the career path I love. I still look back and think, Hm, what if I hadn’t given up my dream at 6? Would I have a pretty diamond tiara to go with my new jeans? 🙂

Definitely wanting to make a career change. Tired of working for the man and really wanting to figure out a way to make a living off of the things I’m passionate about (currently beer, nutrition, healthy living). 😛

You are an inspiration to us who strive to do what you’ve done! Thanks!

<3,

@sfgirl

Well, I went to culinary school and now I work with my husband as his assistant in his art studio. I wish I had studied nutrition, but now I have to worry about saving money for my kids to go to college…so, no more school for me. Oh well, maybe in another life.

Oh yes! I got my graduate and undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Counseling and not sure I want to pursue them at all. Something in my gut just didn’t feel right about. Right now I work as an Office Manager, which I like, but not sure if it’s my CAREER. I think I’m still stuck in limbo, trying to figure out who I want to be and what I want to do. Eventually, I believe it will come to me, though I hope sooner than later 🙂

I’m currently in my 3rd (and last!!) year of PT school. When i was in high school I really had no idea this field even existed! Even entering college I was a psychology major and tried to stay away from all science classes, however at some point in my sophomore year I heard about PT and thought it would be a great field for me. Little did I know i would have to work my ass off taking 4 years worth of pre-reqs in only 2 years, and it was ALL science! However, looking back I couldn’t be more thankful that I had this revelation and figured out what I wanted to do just in time, I totally love school and can’t wait to get out there working in the PT field.

My entire life I wanted to be a teacher. I had everything planned out. I first wanted to be a special education teacher. When I transferred to a university closer to home, I dabbled in social work before going back to education. This time, however, I went to early childhood education.

I was fully immersed into the program and got into the School of Education. I started my first semester in the program and realized that there were so many politics that I could not handle it.

At the time, I got a job to pay the bills as a Medical Biller. I thought to myself that when my fiance’ (now husband) and I had children, I could do that on the side and give up teaching for a bit. His mother did that, so I thought I could as well.

It hit me that instead of doing medical billing on the side that I could go to school for that. So I did, and graduated from a local technical college with an Associate’s Degree and a certificate. I worked my way up as far as I could at my job, until my age proved to be a barrier. Being 25 apparently meant that I was not management material.

I started looking for a different position and a recruiter asked if I was opposed to billing in a different field. When I said no, she told me about a job billing for a law firm. I shrugged and thought that there was no harm in going to the interview. I interviewed twice and did not get the job, again because of my age.

Not discouraged, I began looking for other legal billing jobs because through the interview process my interest peaked. I happened to find one, interviewed and the rest is now history.

I love what I am doing and I love that I can be a full-time mom and focus on one child (with one more in the future, God willing). After our local school district laid off hundreds of teachers, I knew I had made the right decision.

Am I where I thought I would be? Of course not. I thought I’d have my Bachelor’s and would be going for my Master’s. I never thought an Associate’s degree would satisfy me. I never thought that I would be working at a law firm. But I also never thought that I would be happily married to a man from New Jersey with a beautiful child at 25.

I’ve quickly learned that life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.

For a long, long time, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. My default answer to the question was, “Write.” So I went to community college with the idea that I would study English Lit. Then I hated college, so I dropped out. Then I moved far, far away and, after working with at-risk youth, decided that that was my calling, so I tried university last year, studying social psychology. I hated that, but I plugged along until a family emergency forced me to drop the next semester, and then I just didn’t bother going back. Then I attended a cooking class led by a graduate of a health coaching program, which sounded right up my alley, so I’ve been doing that and I’ll be graduating in March! I still daydream about going to college, but every time I have attempted school, I’ve had to work at the same time, and I’m just not a good juggler. At least with this certification program, it’s a work-at-your-own-pace set-up, so it’s much more manageable. Sometimes I hate that I don’t have a degree and other times I accept it. I do really wish I could send myself far away for school, live on campus, and focus entirely on LEARNING, not about trying to scrape by in my classes while working my butt off around the clock.

Sorry for the long response. In short: I’ve changed my mind many times, and I will continue to change my mind, I’m sure. I am constantly rediscovering myself.

im in my final year of law school, and ive toyed with the idea of dropping out and switching careers to do something with food and nutrition. recently though, i had revelation that it is possible to combine and pursue my two loves. im not sure exactly what form this will take yet – but i have the dream! i think our society puts an exaggerated emphasis on the pursuit of one single career – when in reality, most people are fulfilled by greater variety in their professional lives.

Caitlin, I’m a long time reader but I’ve never commented. I have to say that your post today really pulls at my heart. This is the struggle that I am going through now – trying to figure out where I want to be in life. I finished college and got caught up in the real estate world, but its not my passion. Problem is, after so many years of just working my butt off and being tired and stressed, I DON’T KNOW what my passion is anymore. So sad!

I’m trying to figure it all out. Your story gives me hope that maybe one of these days I’ll start walking on the right path for my life.

I was miserable as a fabric sales rep in Chattanooga, TN! Now I’m attending culinary school in Charlotte, NC! Best decision I ever made!!!

My parents are both physical therapists and love their jobs. I sometimes think I should have gone into that field and taken over the family business, but I’m a writer at heart. I’m lucky to have fallen into copywriting for ad agencies. It’s really fun. I never could have predicted I would end up where I am. Life is funny that way.
PS I know you said the husband wanted to team up with a chiropractor. My physical therapists parents have taught me to strongly disapprove of chiropractors. Ha. Maybe he could team up with a PT office 😉

You look super cute today! Your leapord shoes are awesome, and in the top photo, you have the perfect hourglass shape! 🙂

(Hope that’s not too creepy. Partly through OB, and partly through having two sisters, I love to tell people when I think they look pretty! I told a random stranger in Wal-Mart the other daythat her long strawberry blonde hair was beautiful and it made MY day, lol!)

You are very right about that, Caitlin – who knows what might happen in the future? Just see what amazing, unexpected turns your life has taken so far.
With your attitude and passionate heart there are no limits to what you can do.

I have “messed” around quite a bit. My parents wanted me to pursue math and similar subjects, but that realistic world just does not make my heart beat as fast as more human subjects. Right now I am working towards a degree in social anthropology, with an expertise on Central- Europe. My hope is to one day be able to work in an organization such as Red Cross or Amnesty International. Waking up and knowing that my work might make the life of one individual a bit better – can one want more?

I can’t believe how much your life has changed in a relatively short period of time! You must be so proud to be a published author. You do a great job of promoting positive body image amongst women and have helped me more than you will ever know. 🙂

I’m 32 and I still don’t know what I want to do when I grow up. I’ve done lots of different jobs – PA, secretary, sales assistant, fitness instructor. I’ve loved all of them but none of them have that something special. Still no idea what that is. I considered nursing a few years ago but don’t really fancy that now.

ooooh can I just say I love that heart bowl!!!!

I went from full-time to part-time at my job and started going to Court Reporting School – I traveled 45 minutes one way to attend. I LOVED IT; I mean REALLY loved it. I attended 4 months (2 year program) and the school CLOSED due to financial issues. Yep; we showed up one day and the doors were locked!

I was devastated. The next closest school was 1.5 hours away – alas, that dream never came true – life goes on!

So love reading your blog!!

Glad you saw a PT for your back pain. I acutally had my lower back fused, so I can totally relate. Low back pain is NO FUN! When you’re sitting at your work station, may help to have some lumbar support with a pillow to lean back on. I know that helps me 😉

I always thought that I wanted to be a journalist…until I discovered my passion for food. Now, I am in grad school for a master’s in nutrition:)

Dr. Jeff has never showed me that exercise. But then again, he says I’m his worst patient b/c I never pay attention 😉 I hope it helps!

I’m in the midst of a (super secret) career change myself. I got a journalism degree, and straight out of college accepted a position with a corporate company (not writing!) Although I’m good at my job and have worked there for five years I’ve just never felt fulfilled.

Two years ago after some major life changes (the death of my father and birth of my daughter) I started to do some MAJOR soul searching about what would make me happy. I decided to go back to school to become an English teacher (I could help people, teach, read & write……basically all the things I love in my everyday life). Long story short I’ve been taking classes at night, while still working my full time job during the day. I’m in my last class now and sometime in the near future will also need to go see my boss to quit so I can student teach in order to complete my master’s. It’s a scary prospect, but in the same respect I am so UNBELIEVABLY excited for the possibilities that the future holds.

Thank you so much for posting this!! I have been having the same problem with my lower back and went to the doctor about it not to long ago who told me it was my psoas muscle. He told me I needed to stop running (which isn’t an option for me!) or just deal with the pain, which was so bad I could barely walk for a while. I plan on doing these everyday! Thank you!!

Well, losing my job last year certainly has taken me on a wild ride, but I have a feeling it’s just the beginning. I have NO CLUE where my life is headed, and while that scares the crap out of me, it’s also really exciting!

How did the book pub. company find you, btw?

Here’s my question – how do you go about doing the major soul searching to figure out what will make you happy?! I’m in a position I think I like at a company I know I don’t like (it’s lacking serious management skills) but in my city in my field (construction), there isn’t any open anywhere else…and I don’t have the self-esteem to promote myself enough to switch fields, I’m afraid… I can’t decide if I should wait it out and see if I can continue to work in construction management or if I even want to do that anymore or if I should just find something else that makes me happy. My mom suggests nutrition but I don’t want to go to (i.e. study or pay for) school again (already have a bachelors in business management/HR). I just don’t know what I want!!! OH, and my husband is seriously underemployed and my salary pays our bills! Help! 🙂