From 37 Jobs To Finding My Passion: Career Reflections

Originally Published: October 24th, 2024

Daily writing prompt

What alternative career paths have you considered or are interested in?

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I worked 37 jobs by the time I was 37. This is true!

I’ve tried many alternative career paths.

A variety of jobs such as banking, modelling, food services in restaurants to craft services in the film industry.

I’ve been hired. Fired. Quit many jobs.

Trying to find a fit.

Today, I can grateful to say I have been working at the same job for 15 years.

I am support staff in the public school system.

I find such joy in building connections with students. It’s the best! Especially making kids laugh! Supporting them to succeed, while watching their confidence grow.

I’ve always been interested in psychiatry. One of my dream jobs would have been an FBI Profiler – to have a deep understanding of complex human behaviour and why people make the choices they do. To study those with anti-social personality disorders and how they came to be.

I have Borderline Personality Disorder and Histrionic Personality Disorder – two of four out of the Cluster B Personality Disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) DSM 5. The other two are Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Anti-Social Personality Disorder

Extremely complex, yet simply stated:

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is: Intense Emotional Instability
Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD) is: Attention-Seeking Behaviour
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is – Sense of Entitlement
Anti-Social Personality Disorder ASPD) is – Disregard for Others – ASPD is the official diagnoses – not Sociopath and Psychopath – these terms are associated with this diagnosis.

In 2021, my mental health was suffering. I was drowning in it.

I needed a support group, but unable to find one.

I decided to start my own.

It wasn’t a career in psychiatry, or a profiler, but I was able to offer support to those in mental health distress.

But, my Anxiety Support Group didn’t work out.

I eventually had to cancel. I started to feel unsafe. I felt in over my head with members whose mental health was unchecked and needed professional help.

S, 🌻