To think this is too good to be true?

[bellaangelnow]

I am a social work student completing my master. I am in my sixth week of my first placement and I honestly LOVE it! I feel so excited everyday getting up to go to placement, I love the freedom, I love helping people, I even love the paperwork side. It's such a lovely work environment, I feel supported and comfortable.

I have suffered from binge eating and since I've started I've lost weight which people are noticing and I honestly think it's because I don't have to binge eat because I'm genuinely happy.

It's busy, and at times stressful but I love it and come away feeling rewarded after a day. At the weekend I just want to get back to it. It honestly is my dream job (even though it's a placement).

Now I am aware that this is one placement and I have two more to come. I'm also aware I only have 7 caseloads which will make a massive difference on my stress levels.

But could it honestly be, after years of working in jobs I hate that I've finally found the perfect career for me? Am I just a naive social work student, bright eyed and bushy tailed? Or is social work really this enjoyable and rewarding? I genuinely feel like I'd have no problem doing this for the next 40 years. Waiting on it crumbling.

Congratulations! You're so lucky! I love what I do too (not as rewarding as i just own a cafe) and it really does make life so much happier all round. What a bonus you're losing weight too. Get rid of the negative feelings, you deserve to be happy!

Hey, I feel this about my job, I keep expecting it to stop, but its been over two years now. In that time I could count on one hand the number of times I HAVEN'T gone to bed happy and woken up excited. (And I am not youthful or naive, I am an old hack who has worked in mental health for decades, and I have a big and complex caseload and work extra hours). I now know what the words rewarding and vocation mean. But its very hard to explain to anyone how I feel because they expect me to find it stressful. Hope you find a great job OP, maybe in your current team!

Good for you and long may it last. Unfortunately it's not much fun when your caseload is a lot bigger and more complex but enjoy it while you can.

That's what I've been told, sooo much of, 'why would you want to do social work?' 'You'll have a nervous breakdown' 'you won't last' and I honestly feel like I went into the placement expecting to be prove everyone right, that I'd made the wrong decision and hated it and it was all a waste of time. I've honestly never felt so fulfilled, it makes me so excited for the future.

I had a bit of a meltdown just before starting placement, I have a little social anxiety and it hit me, like what the fuck am I doing? Social anxiety and going into a job like this? But 6 weeks in and I realised today, my nerves are sooooo much better. I'm gaining so much confidence than I ever thought possible.

I honestly just feel genuinely happy, for the first time in my life, as if this is my purpose. So naturally, waiting for it all to fall apart.

Don't self sabotage

Oh my god, that's what I feel on the verge of. Have done it all my life.

Bump

Congrats OP, good for you. If you look for them there will be threads on every job detailing how awful each is. None of that matters though as it’s what’s motivates and makes you happy. I’m sure there will be tough times like any role but enjoy it.

I’m really pleased for you. Doing a job you love is a rarity, so embrace it with both hands. I believe social work is a calling, like medicine or teaching.

Fabulous!

I also think it's a lovely job, it's on my radar to explore. I believe when you're new to something you see it as a 'this is the way it is' rather than 'things used to be so much better' way.