Will I ever be happy?

[bunchofbananas]

Have worked in a multitude of industries and jobs. The last few years as a PA to fairly senior bods in private sector.

I have a degree and am now 40. It looks unlikely that I will have children now so I would really like to get this work thing cracked. I had planned to set up my own company but I just feel so lost. I'm not sure if it's the right direction.
I have also thought about retraining to become a Primary school teacher for quite a long time. I just worry that they will look at my long and varied CV and chuck it in the bin!

Anyone else been in the same position and manage to overcome it to become happy and fulfilled at work? The rest of my life is great. Just wish I could get this part sorted!

Any advice appreciated.

Hi bunchofbananas

This is just the sort of career issue I work with everyday with my clients. Having been there myself years ago, I wish I'd had someone intelligent and neutral to enable me to work out what I really wanted.

There is a lot of cynicism about coaching, because its unregulated, but we're not all the same! The reason executives pay a fortune for coaching is because it works. I choose not to work with execs as I prefer to make good coaching affordable to real women.

If you're in London, take a look at my website www.timeforachange.biz for or call me for a chat (my number's on the site). If not, ask around for recommendations of a good coach. A few sessions with a coach you like and trust would be a great investment in your future and help you to sort out what you want.

Bunchofbananas, I feel your pain.

After having my first DC a few years ago I left my job of nine years because I knew the long hours and the commute to and from central London wouldn't work when I had children. Since then I've had three jobs, all in the public sector and I'm becoming increasingly unhappy as the months go by.

Problem is, I just don't know what I want to do anymore! I thought about teaching and then realised I was using it as a way to get out of facing up to the fact that I am totally directionless at the moment.

I'm seriously considering going back into my old industry (publishing) because at least I knew what I was doing there and I enjoyed it but of course it's unlikely I'll get anything part time.

If you are interested in teaching I don't think your age and history will count against you at all. I know quite a few people have done this. I dropped out of teacher training myself but have done a lot of higher ed teaching and currently teach undergrad part-time. I'm late 40s - you'd think we'd have it cracked by now, eh?

I am also really adrift at the moment. I am actually going to see a locally based career/life coach on Thursday for a trial session as I feel I am really going around in circles trying to sort out some direction. I'll let you know how it goes - I don't have a lot of cash to blow on something like this right now.

Cupcake - I was also in publishing and have been toying with trying go back - but also need part-time. There is a lot of freelance work about - but after a long gap, it's not so easy to pick up - need to get that first contract then it should pick up from there. It just feel as though that would be really going backwards though since I was really pleased to leave that industry at the time. Then again - it's potentially a steady if not particularly enormous income.

Seriously though, if you're really interested in teaching that should be a very viable option - maturity is a real asset in the classroom. I really like teaching myself - but (long story) it's not what I want to do full-time.

This could be me! As other posters above have mentioned, I feel directionless and adrift at the moment too. I'd like to work for myself in an at-home business but I've got no idea where to start or even what I want to do. Seems crazy, as I'm 39 so should have sorted this out 20 years ago!

Please let us know how your life coaching session goes on Thurs acinonyx.

It's a relief to know it's not me feeling so aimless! I hadn't thought of going to see a life coach so that might be worth looking into.

Me too! I have always felt this way about work and recently had three months' group coaching with a life coach which has really helped me sort out my priorities. I now have a lot of side projects/non day-job work going on which is fulfilling in certain ways, and am looking for a new day job which will tick my boxes, now I have a better idea of what I want.

I can really recommend coaching - it really helped straighten out my priorities and what I actually want out of life. I worked with Michelle Ward at www.whenigrowupcoach.com - she's brilliant.

OK so I had my free taster session this morning. Nice lady. We talked about the program she uses - a series of 7 sessions with homework pieces with the aim of setting goals and a plan at then end. All sounds very useful - but it's just too expensive. £480 for the 7 sessions - I was hoping it would be under 300 over a couple of months and even then I don't really know exactly how I was planning to pay for it since a large part of my problem is that I don't earn very much.

I think there are cheaper versions, especially where sessions are on the phone or online. It sounded as though it would be useful - but I just wasn't that optimistic - not 500 smackers worth anyway.