Feeling unsettled

Good morning Lw's!

This has been such an amazing journey. My health is greatly improved. I feel so much better. I can do so much more and I almost like to shop for clothes now. Even though things are slowing down, I still feel hopeful in regards to my weight and the ability to maintain. I would like to lose about 20 more pounds.

Now comes the unsettled part, I seem to be feeling like there is something more. I dont know if I need to go back to school, being a staff nurse for over 20 years is starting to take a toll on me. I just feel restless. I would like to get my masters degree, but not sure if I want in in nursing and become a clinical nurse practioner, or do I go another route to become an instructior?
Or should I become a yogi? I do love my yoga these days! Or maybe watercolors at the local college?
Questions, questions, questions!

My yoga teacher thinks it more about age, she kind of went through the same thing in her mid 40's.

I just feel I am in a position for change at this point in my life. Or is it spring fever?!

Has anyone else felt this way, and how did you decide what direction to go in? And is this related to my weight loss? Am I gaining confidence and not willing to settle for what I have always done?

Like I said, I have some many questions, and no answers at this time.

Thanks!

Maria,

You're so young!  I say visualize your best possible life outcome.  Think of all the scenarios and then sit with them until "your" right answer comes to you.  Hop on it and don't stop until you've created your ultimate dream life.  Do it now, because I'll tell you that at 60 it's much more difficult to stop and think... what life work do I want to do.  It becomes more about staying in a job and hoping to retire on my own terms and not because of layoffs etc.  That said, I can be everything else in all other areas of my life but I'm staying with my desk job because after 17+ years it's taken good care of me.

Keep writing about your fantasies.  Leave nothing out because you think it wouldn't work.  You deserve your life dreams!  We've all sold ourselves short for way too many years!

I would be a pilates teacher if I was starting all over in my 40's.  Or else I'd be an empowering women's adventure travel guide.  Maybe a combo of both!!  :)

Lee, I'd follow you on adventure trips! 

Maria, ditto what Lee says.  You're so young!  Wonderful that you're listening to your inner voice crying out to you for a change.  Did you have a special dream when you were younger that you put on the back burner?  Maybe THAT?  I had that itch in my 40s and I started traveling extensively with my hub.... *****quired extensive convincing in the beginning.  We'd drive by the county line and he'd grab on tight to it until it snapped back into place without him.
tracey

Maria - what you're going through is very normal, heck, I've done it several times myself. 

I have explored other career options through the years, but ended up staying where I was at.  Now its making the decision for me and I'm exploring what else is out there. 

Usually when I go through these "mid life crisis" I get divorced or buy a new car - lol....

Stop and evaluate where you're at and decide where you really WANT to go.  Most of us think about where we SHOULD go....

I'm feeling the same way.  My weight loss is going fine, but something else is making me antsy.  I'm ready for a change and feeling like I can make one. 

I'm writing it off to poor work environment and Spring Fever!

Kay

my mom is a nurse, and a yoga instructor! she went back for her master's in nursing when i was in high school and she got her yago certification about 3 years ago.

i can relate to the feeling fo restlessness. i get it often. i finished my masters in May 2010 and im going back for a phd in September 2011. i often feel like im reaching for something but i dont know what it is. i think its the soul longing for fulfillment and i try my best to nouri****

There is a great book out there be Dan Miller - 48 days to the work you love. It will be super helpful to work you way through this. I like his website too.

If you are in a position to go for a total change, follow your dream. Whatever that may be.

Part of it may be related to losing weight and feeling better but some of it is age related. We don't want to see our dreams pass us by. If money and time and training had no meaning? What would that be? If you can make that dream possible, do it.

Liz

I did everything late, after 2 college degrees.  So when I really started working in this field, I was already almost where you are in terms of age.  The next 20 yrs, I did some moving around in jobs, to increasingly responsible roles until I was the CEO of an agency that operated group homes for autistic children and adults.  After 11 yrs of that, I was very burned out.  I looked to change fields and no one would look at my skills which were not necessarily specific to this field.  I fumbled for a while but what I do now is the best I can imagine. I looked at the things in my jobs that I enjoyed doing.  I built my current job around the things I liked, trying to lessen the parts I don't enjoy.  I set my schedule, work when I want to and mostly have time to do the rest of the things that are important in my life. And it is nice that the pay is good enough to allow me to do most of what I want to do.  But it came after figuring it out and working a long time to get to here.

There is an old saying that is something about if you are doing something you love, you will never work a day in your life.  It's worth the time and energy to figure out what that is.

The medical field seems pretty wide open and you have lots of years left to do what is pulling you to it.

 I do think that  losing  close to 100  lbs as most of us do  makes  you a different person both to Urself and to the rest  of the world .

Suddenly U have  vastly more energy ...Ure seen differently .. U FEEL younger  ... and  maybe health and depression issues  finally ARENT standing in the way Ur  dreams ....

I know  my world and my prospects changed significantly after my operation .. for the better .  

I thank  God  they  did .