One week in...a symbolic dream?

[annienz]

Well dearie me, one week after quitting my job I had this weird dream last night. I dreamt I'd lost my handbag (horrors!) and it contained all my ID. I was in a real panic, searching everywhere for it.

When I woke up, I thought, wow...I've lost my identity. And in some respects, that's true. I was "Annie, emergency services dispatcher" and now I'm - who? I'm not upset as such, because I get a chance to reinvent myself. Right now I think I'll be "Annie, World Explorer." I'm off travelling in the next couple of months.

Interesting though - this is something I thought might happen. Anyone else go through a phase like this, early on?

 

[Walt34]

Interesting though - this is something I thought might happen. Anyone else go through a phase like this, early on?

It's very common, but doesn't happen to everyone. Some are so happy to escape they're focused on that, for others it does take a while to figure out "where to go from here".

 

[razztazz]

I had one of those jobs that is not just a job, you are supposed to be married to it 24 hours a day. It is "very professional" to identify with it and define yourself by it. I thought it was jaw-droppingly childish. Could never get into it. Still can't understand how adults go through life like that. The most hardcore types with lots of seniority really can't handle retirement and loss of "Self". Silly.

I had NO problem walking the first split picosecond I got the chance and have had no tendency to look back.

 

[Balance]

I can understand how one might have an identity crisis once they step out if 1) their job or profession is what truly defined them even if they think it did not or 2) they really loved what they do and would have done it for a lot less than their actual compensation like a doctor or small business owner. As such, I feel for these people and hope that they have other interests to fill that void. I have found that I generally like what I do but agree with Razztazz that I do not subscribe to being solely defined by my profession. I was asked once, "If my doctor told me that I had 6 months to live what would I regret?" I said without hesitation that I would regret not growing old with DW and being there for my children. Everything else is just a bonus to being alive. My profession, while enjoyable at times, is a means to an end, period.

 

[NanoSour]

I can understand how one might have an identity crisis once they step out if 1) their job or profession is what truly defined them even if they think it did not or 2) they really loved what they do and would have done it for a lot less than their actual compensation like a doctor or small business owner. As such, I feel for these people and hope that they have other interests to fill that void. I have found that I generally like what I do but agree with Razztazz that I do not subscribe to being solely defined by my profession. I was asked once, "If my doctor told me that I had 6 months to live what would I regret?" I said without hesitation that I would regret not growing old with DW and being there for my children. Everything else is just a bonus to being alive. My profession, while enjoyable at times, is a means to an end, period.

+1 Well said for post #7

 

[Meadbh]

I can understand how one might have an identity crisis once they step out if 1) their job or profession is what truly defined them even if they think it did not or 2) they really loved what they do and would have done it for a lot less than their actual compensation like a doctor or small business owner. As such, I feel for these people and hope that they have other interests to fill that void. I have found that I generally like what I do but agree with Razztazz that I do not subscribe to being solely defined by my profession. I was asked once, "If my doctor told me that I had 6 months to live what would I regret?" I said without hesitation that I would regret not growing old with DW and being there for my children. Everything else is just a bonus to being alive. My profession, while enjoyable at times, is a means to an end, period.

+2