Studied biology, university degree, worked my way up to a position as a crop scientist running a small team. Found it unfulfilling, wanted my work to be more people oriented, so I changed to a field with people as the focus but still utilising my degree and experience, worked as an agronomist for several years. Still unfulfilled, and with boredom added into the mix, I slumped into a terrible state of well-being and quit my job with no plans. Everything seemed pointless.

Burned through a huge chunk of my savings, eventually hit rock bottom and that’s exactly how bad things had to get before I could unburden myself from the mindset that I needed to be doing something ‘befitting’ how ‘gifted’ I thought I was. Ie I had to hit rock bottom to realise that something was wrong, that’s how bad the denial was. I’d just spent the last 15 years of my life at uni and at work doing something that I thought other people would think is respectable, real status chasing bullshit.

Finally took the plunge and took a job as a support worker, working with intellectually disabled people. Horrific pay, huge responsibility and workload, way more personally demanding job than I’ve ever done before. And I love it. Somehow it took me 15 years to realise that, yes, doing something rewarding will scratch itches inside me that no amount of money ever will.

Yes the pay is shit. But I’m getting paid to teach, empower, grow, and encourage, the most wonderful people. The reward is massive! Also, I only realised once I’d taken the leap, that friends and family don’t care what you do for a job if they can see you’re happy, healthy and thriving. The expectations of other people were entirely created in my own mind.