So, I'm 47 and live with my DP and our two DDs who are both at secondary school (16 and 11).
I have an undergraduate degree, a PGCE and an MSc which I completed in 2020 - so lots of qualifications but no idea where to go with them now.
I worked as a teacher for a few years before my older DD was born and absolutely loved it. I'd say it was the only time in my working life that I felt satisfied and respected. When my daughter was born, we moved from London (had lived there for around 8 years) back up North to be nearer to family and to buy a house! I became a SAHM (my choice, I absolutely wanted to be there for my daughter and so in effect, gave up my teaching career). I had hoped that at some point when she was nearer school age, I would be able to get a part time teaching job, but that just never happened as there is lots of competition for teaching jobs in the city where we live and very few PT opportunities. In order to use my teaching skills, I went down the childcare route instead and have worked PT as a pre school practitioner for the last 14 years (gulp!). In that time, we had our second daughter and the flexibility and working hours of my job continued to be very suited to family life (always there when they're home from school, school holidays off etc...). These benefits have kept me in the job for longer than I should have stayed really. The pay in childcare is appallingly low and there is a lack of respect for staff I find.
My undergraduate degree was in a a very academic subject that has no real career path apart from one or two very specific and quite boring ones and I have no interest in pursuing it any further.
My MSc is in Psychology and I did it partly because I am fascinated by the subject and partly with a view to maybe effecting a career change. Having now completed the degree, I don't feel that I have the necessary drive or motivation to enter what is an extremely competitive area of work/expertise. And this is the problem essentially. Over the years, I have lost a lot of confidence in my own abilities and lost my identity too to an extent. I don't regret the choice I made with regard to being there for my children BUT now they are getting older I definitely feel at a disadvantage and just generally depressed about my prospects.
I'm lucky in that DP has a decent job and we have a comfortable life. My small salary allows for the little extras and we would miss it but still manage if it wasn't there.
I've spent the last few years wondering what the hell I could do, coming up with ideas only to dismiss them. I feel totally stuck.
I enjoy working with other people and that is one of the things I really like about my pre school job, so I think any new career would need an element of interacting with others. I would love to do something creative but have always felt/been told that I'm no good at that sort of thing so have never really tried anything, even as a hobby. I keep coming back to the idea of floristry but wonder if it's viable. I love the idea of a little lifestyle business of some sort but in my head, that's something other people do.
I think I would benefit from some sort of coaching/counselling to help me to evaluate my situation and gain some focus.
Apologies for the long ramble, I would love to know if anyone else feels the same...