What is you Calling?

[Always Hopeful]

Without getting too technical, I guess the question is more "What is your vocation?"

 

I've been an attorney for 6 years now. At times, it's been good. At other times, it's been a real stressful existence. For those who don't know lawfirm life, you work pretty long hours. You are pretty much judged on two criteria, how many hours you have billed a client in a year, and how many clients have you brought in (and how much have those clients generated in revenue).

 

So month in, month out, year in, year out...you being quantified. When months are slow, you start to get nervous...almost desparate to get hours...when you have the hours and it's busy, you're almost never home. Selling yourself to get clients also takes time and sometimes you feel diminished...like your some kind of prostitute or something. Also, as a minority, it's hard to get the big fish clients as a large part of this country is still run by the old boys network. In short, its tough...and I'm growing too old and too tired for this.

 

But of course, I have family and responsibilities, and the legal life pays well.

 

The question is, what in the hell can I do to get out of this endless cycle of stress upon stress, worry upon worry, boredom upon boredom. I day dream a lot about what it would be like to have an interesting job. Can I be so lucky as to find a vocation that is also my calling?

 

I am always hopeful that things will come around, but I'm getting older, and it feels like that window is slowly, but surely, closing. Anyway, any advice would be helpful.

 

Thanks

[Mun]

Hello there,

I don't know if this is interests you, but have you cosidered teaching? You have the experience and it would be a great thing to bring that into the classroom. The hours might be better for you and allow you to have more family time.

[Always Hopeful]

Teaching isn't my thing. I've tried it, and it is not satisfying. In addition, it doesn't pay nearly as much as I need to meet all my expenses (I am in a single income family, and I am to sole bread winner).

[mahlina]

Always Hopeful, sorry to hear about your job. I guess you can look at it this way, find something else to do as an extracurricular activity? Actually, being a single parent must be hard, so I do hope that you're finding the time for yourself as well. It must be stressful. I'm just on the oppisite end of the spectrum. I'm planning on my career, am in my early 20's, and plan on building a life for myself as well. If I ever do get married, or end up having kids, I also want to make sure that I can rely on myself, just in case if anything should ever happen (tragic death of the spouse...worst case scenario, God forbid, a divorce)..So, it shocks me to hear about your situation. Especially because you gained prestige in your career, and actually made it through, only to feel the way that you do. I surely hope that what you're feeling is only temporary.

 

Perhaps having a spouse other would help to alleviate the stress? When I do settle into a career, I would hope to also find someone who I can come home to, and make sure that my future kids have a father-figure in their life as well. It helps to have someone else be by your side to motivate you. I used to work at a crumby job, and the only thing that made me happy all throughout the day, was to be able to come home, knowing that my ex was there to cheer me up. There's only so much that we can handle on our own, by ourselves...That's why running into that 'right person' is so crucial. It makes life ten times more beautiful, despite how much grief the job might give us, or whatever pain life throws at us. I hope this helps. I haven't been through what you've been through, but I highly admire you for hanging in there. Take care....-Mahlina