20-something newbie, need guidance in my life

[Writer_Girl]

Hi everyone, just wanted to introduce myself. I have just bought the Life Makeovers book and need some guidance in my life. The Life Makeovers book appealed to me because it seemed very do-able. I have read other self-help books that require huge time investments such as writing your whole life story in detail before you even start.

Anyway, my problem is that I am 25 and I don't know what to do with my life. I am trained as a journalist and that was always what I wanted to be, but I realized shortly after I started working in the field that it was just not the job for me. I wasted two years on school for this, and it was a huge blow to me to realize I had wasted two years, and that what I thought I always wanted to do was not in fact good for me. I don't know what else to do with my life. I had always thought I would be a journalist.

For the past nine months I was working in a menial job to pay my bills, and I have just been laid off. So I am trying to look for work, but nothing I see out there appeals to me. I can think of things I would enjoy but they all require further training. Sometimes my goals and dreams seem very unreachable.

My family relationship is complicated, I was living with my mother until about a year ago, but my stepfather was very unfriedly to my presence there. My father has lived in another city for many years and will soon be moving back here. It has been an emotional upheaval to me because my Mom-world and dad-world have always been so separate and now my parents will be living only a few blocks away. My dad has been making an effort to reach out to me the last few times he has been there and I appreciate that, but I still have some trepidation because I do not really know how to have a relationship with him as an adult, and also his family are very difficult people. He also has many other children and I don't always get much attention from him. His littlest is autistic and has ADD, and my oldest brother (a full brotger) is a transsexual who has been involved in a relationshop with an abusive and manic depressive individual.

Basically at this point I need to figure out what I want to do with my life, regarding my work and regarding healthy relationships with my family and recovering from the significant events such as my brother's revelation and my father's place in my life. I also would like to improve my social life and meet some new people and possibly have some romantic relationships, which i have done in the past but am at times inept in having. I just want to be a better person and figure out what to do with my life.

Thanks for listening, I look forward to dealing with this book and working with your suggestions.

[KarenR]

Write_girl,


It is disappointing when you get into a field and realize that it's not what you had in mind. There must have been something to attract you to journalism though. Maybe you can transfer to another part of jounalism that will make you happy. Is there someone in the field that you can speak to, like a mentor, who can help guide you?

As far as your family goes, it sounds like you want to have a good relationship with them, but you sound overwhelmed. Give yourself a break and take some time to absorb all the changes that have just occured to you. Also, now that you are older realize that parents are perfect either. I came to that same realization in my 20's and it was difficult. You just take the best from your family and learn from the worst. You can't change the past but you can definitely make your future better by learning from it.

Hope this has helped. I've definitely been where you are now and you CAN make a life for yourself that you love.

[tribe]

Hello
I can really relate to that..for many years I had been searching for direction in relation to a career. I did well with the areas I chose but never felt fulfilled. Then...I became pregnant with triplets. So (as Cheryl's latest newsletters suggests) I could have relaxed a lot more and been patient and open to the wonderful future that life did have in place for me. But instead I panicked that I would never find my place. My kids are 2.5 years and I am so proud and fulfilled at this time and at this point in my life. In fact, its amazing what opportunities present themselves when you feel settled and happy - I now franchise for Neways International - a health and nutrition company which enables me to earn a healthy income with only about 7 hours input weekly.
So just trust that all in your journey will be revealed when and how it should.
Leanne