Morning Hive!
I have recently had a career change to follow an interest area which was made available to me by my father. Two years ago I lost (unfortunately not misplaced) my father suddenly when he was to young to go! I don't wish to garnish sympathy here but more explain the profound impact this had led to in my life. In the height of my emotional instability my sister turned to me and told me that Dad was proud of me for generating the stability for my family that my wife and I had manage to create. My Dad was a man of few words and never told me this, I was gobsmacked.
This memory, in a difficult time, stuck with me for the initial eighteen months of his passing (and still does) and I deeply pondered it. I was working for Government department and not overly enjoying my job - my mental health had taken a knock and I was struggling with depression and anxiety. As I deconstructed the "stability" I realized it was materialistically focused and not emotional - in fact I had neglected my own emotional stability for some time. Working for government is high pressure and the emotional taxation I paid was impacting my ability to be present at home and with a loving wife and child, this wasn't fair.
We crunched some numbers - looked at some jobs - and made a move!
I now work in the family harm sector with people who use violence for a Non Governmental Organization (NGO). During my time in Government I long held the desire that I wanted to leave, when financially viable, to work for an NGO and Dad gave me the confidence to follow this dream. While this work is difficult it is highly rewarding and gives me far more emotional capacity at home for my family.
Mental health - prior to the move I was medicated for depression and anxiety, low in energy levels and fed up with things that I used to enjoy. It has been six months in my new job and while there hasn't been a silver bullet for all these concerns the fog is lifting. I am running again, meditating and under the instruction of my GP decreasing medication. We are still achieving the material stability and I am able to provide a husband and father to my family that is connected his own emotional stability and not vacant.
Thank you Dad!
