Would it be irrational...?

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

This week has been incredible. I am so in love with both my doodles. They make me so incredible happy and taking care of them brings me such a sense of fulfillment. I love going to the park with them and playing with the other dogs. Being around animals seems to fill me with joy. My eyes light up when I talk about it. 

 

All week at work I thought about my furbabies all the time and couldn't wait to get home to play with them. Work itself is blah. My job is ok in theory, but the people, the politics and my dummy boss are all driving me nuts, and making it difficult for me to enjoy being at work. Lately it's been so bad I've been making comments like, "who cares? as long as my pay check comes in every two weeks it doesn't matter what happens from 9-5"...

 

I am always fantasising about doing other stuff. I used to want to travel and do humanitarian work. Then I went through a phase where I wanted to work in the fitness industry. Then another phase where I wanted to open a bakery and sell pies :)

 

A few months ago I was noting to some friends how I feel like I never really found my passion in life.  I have a good job, with a good secure income and excellent pension and benefits. The thing is I don't love it, I just sort of fell into it. I don't hate it mind you, but really, I feel like I've been tolerating it. I don't enjoy being in an office all day, sitting at a computer. I'm so envious of people who always knew what they wanted to be, went for it, and are now passionate about what they do. This has never been me. In the search for something that really gets me going, I am always signing myself up to new activities and starting new hobbies, which I never follow through on (yoga, running, dancing lessons, photography class, knitting (?), tennis lessons, flute lessons, etc, etc, etc). In fact, I'm so flakey when it comes to my hobbies that people were worried about me getting a pet, in case I flaked out like usual. Well, when it came to my doodle bugs and kitty cat, it was the opposit that happened. I couldn't be more enthused and committed.

 

I was at a wedding back in the spring and was chatting with someone I had just met that night. She asked me what I do for a living and I sort of shrugged it off as a boring government job, almost apologetically. Then I got talking about Sophie Bear, and my eyes lit up like the sun. I was enthusiastic and spoke with passion. I then got into talking about my trip to thailand and the time I visited the elephant rehabilitation park where they help abused or injured elephants get back on their feet. It was a moving and eye opening experience for me. She said to me that she can see that I clearly love animals and asked why I don't make a profession out of it. This 20-something year old yoga instructor, who had just met me for the first time, commented on the difference in my tone and energy when talking about my job, vs. talking about my pets and experiences with animals. It was an eye opening moment.

 

Yesterday I asked a friend and co-worker if it would be irrational if I quit my secure government job and opened a doggie daycare. I have been remarking on the complete void of doggie daycares and dog training options in my area. Most of the facilities are in the burbs. My dog walker used to be an accountant, but she gave that up to be a dog walker. She is my hero.

 

Yes, I know it would be irrational to quit my secure job and excellent salary and benefits, to start a venture that I could very well flunk at. But I just can't help myself from dreaming about it...

[F, Calla & Luca]

Good for you Sherri. And don't leave out veterinarian, my original life goal. As it turns out I'm allergic to cats so maybe it all works out as it should : )

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

@ Nancie, Definitely! Doodle bugs and kitty cat come first! if I ever get serious about exploring other options, i could always work a reduced schedule, like 4 days per week, to make the time.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

That sounds like a better way to approach your dream Sherri.  Just make sure you keep lots of time for the Doodles and Kitty!  ha ha

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Wow, I'm so glad I posted this. Lots of wise advise and encouragement. Thank you so much for taking the time read and comment on my blog. This has really gotten me motivated to set some plans in motion for exploring a career change in the long term (very long term lol), while giving me the reality check I need on how lucky i am to have the financial security that I have in the meantime.

 

As a start, I'm going to volunteer at the SPCA of Western Quebec, a no-kill shelter in my area that I really like. i will go and help walk and bath dogs and cuddle the kitty cats, and help out with the adoption days at petsmart.

 

I'm also going to look into courses that I can take that will educate me about caring for dogs, such as canine first aid, gooming, etc. These courses will help me with my own dogs so it will be a useful investment of time and money anyway. The more I think about this the more I realize how many wonderful options there could be. Animal photography, grooming, doggie daycare, training, etc. I'm sure once I start exploring the options and opening myself to new experiences things will fall into place.

 

AND, in my freetime (if I can find any), I'll get back to my quest for a rich husband who will finance all my endevours lol!

 

[KAHLUA]

It's not irrational.  If you can do it, then all means do it.  From your posts and comments, it's OBVIOUS you are a dog lover and people as well as animals would benefit from you being a part of their lives.  Also, just think!  Open a doggie daycare and you could bring Sophie Bear, Winston and Kittie to work with you.  Now that would be my dream job! 

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

It's funny because one of my best friends is a co- worker of mine. About twice a week we complain via instant message about how tired we are of the nasty people we talk to all day. Why did we choose this profession?! What were we thinking?! What can we do where nothing talks back all day and gives us a hard time. One of our " dream jobs" is a doggie hotel - we say hotel since we are corporate travel agents and hotel fits with that. She says greenhouse occasionally but we agree that the greenhouse weather is to hot and humid. Lol in the end we just keep doing what we are doing because of the benefits, retirement, etc. We also have this lottery winning dream to we have made full plans for :-). Sometimes it's as fun to "dream" as to "do". My theory on most everything is " if it's meant to be it will be". :-)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I am a job security-kind of girl and I think, especially in this economic climate, that I wouldn't jeopardize job security and a pension.  However, I was a teacher and I love working with children so perhaps I did combine my passion and a job.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I must say Sherri that I have always been able to follow my passions with my profession and have even thought if I won the lottery that I would still need to do my job for the pure joy and fullfillment of it. I am one of those people who light up when someone asks me what I do and they want to talk about it.

Having said that, my DH has worked the same job that he also loved for 30 years, and that gave us the security allowing me to follow my dreams. There is a LOT to be said for a pension, security and a steady paycheck, especially in this ecomony. His retirement still allows up both to follow our dreams together and individually. SO I guess what I am saying is to try to stick it out, try to find joy and purpose in your job and still find your passions as hobbies, volunteering, education, etc.....Your time will come.  And having worked for the government, for a very short time, I know exactly where you are coming from, but the benefits are truely a blessing!  Nothing to sneeze at that's for sure!

 

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Everyone has a dream....some chase them in their thoughts and some live them.

I had a customer who wanted to open her own clothing store, she did and it was open for a month...didn't think it all the way through, we were paid by the mall to remove the sign we put up the month before. Clearly she did not do all the things you should do before moving forward.

Good luck if you decided to make the dream a reality. :o)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I think in Canada, the concerns about healthcare are not an issue, as they (like every other civilized country on earth except ours) have National Healthcare.