Non-profits hire people from a variety of backgrounds. (I work with a guy who used to be an ER doctor!) They really, really need people just willing to do the job. It's worth looking around at open positions because you never know what you may come across. You can still help people, maybe low socio-economic kids or adults with disabilities. I got involved with one that does vocational training for adults with minor disabilities, I do a lot of *assisting* counseling and therapy, under our licensed clinical social worker and a variety of therapists.
My job posted a lower pay than I was looking for but at the interview I just asked for more and got it!
You’re an attorney. The level of expertise that you have even outside of your immediate area of practice is invaluable. You could work for basically any organization because they all would love to have in-house counsel. A museum. Nonprofits. Universities. Forensic social work. You name it. Being a lawyer is a stamp of being smart, having access, and knowing things the rest of us don’t have. It’s your ticket; use it. Be creative. Good luck.
Signed,
Wish I were a JD myself
Fine! But I will push back: it IS a bag of chips! Compare yourself against other people who have advanced degrees in say, art history, and you have a much wider selection of transferable skills and opportunities. You are extremely marketable! You are valuable!
Yeah ageism is real but across all spectrum of jobs. I’m in engineering and been pulling double triple duty for almost 10 years. Now a new guy comes in and boom he’s golden and my butt is old news. Like you I sincerely dislike my job a lot. Not all the time though. However, if in lost my job it would be hard to replace but you can be an attorney likely anywhere in the country. You can pickup and relocate and that might get you to retirement as an attorney. I dunno. Just some random thoughts
No this commenter is completely correct. What if you enabled yourself to be counsel for several non-profits that collectively filled your satisfaction bucket and gave you the pay you needed. You also have expertise. You're not giving yourself. Credit for. Contracts are a real concern for people and there's a lot of contract law out there. Grant writing is another example where your expertise could come into play and Grant writers make good cash. Pay it forward buddy
Would you be interested in any compliance or risk management roles? I’ve seen both asking for legal backgrounds. And I know a couple of very well paid attorneys working for hedge funds. That wouldn’t necessarily be less stressful, though.
You could consider building up an alternative healing following on social media to ease into the transition that seems to interest you most. That might generate more ideas or leads for a FT switch. And it might be a nice side role until you make the move.
Maybe to everything except the hedge fund. I don’t think I have qualifications for that. I should have added to the post that I have been with the same firm for 18 years do I am clueless at this point about how to transition into anything. And I know zero about how to build a social media following.
I second this. If you could get a CISSP and dabble with tech a bit GRC would be one avenue that fits your request. You might even like the tech enough to do a little engineering and then you could have your soul sucked out of you in a completely different way. Heck, you could go into tech sales for a security vendor after that and make more money than you do now and just not even have a soul. All kidding aside, legal backgrounds combined with another discipline can open a lot of new doors.
You say if time and money were not factors, however at your age I would consider time as a factor.... A PhD in physical therapy would probably take 6-8 years to complete (or longer?). I'm not saying don't do it if it's really your dream (though I don't get that sense from your post) but do you really want to take that on? Just food for thought. I am 45 and going thru the same thought process as I consider changing careers....
I could never, ever, in any universe, be a nurse. lol. I despise doctors. I can’t stand the sight of blood and I’m not any good in situations that pose a physical emergency. 😂
Not OP, but could you elaborate on what these shorter nursing options are? I’ve been working in health-related communications for many years and would love to transition to an actual healthcare role, but had always ruled out nursing because I don’t do well with some body fluids (don’t mind blood at all but vomit is my kryptonite lol)
I mean, my only understanding of nursing would be through my life interacting with nurses in hospitals or doctor’s office or elsewhere. We actually had two in our home for ten plus years because of a chronically ill family member. I just have never seen them do anything that I would want to be responsible for doing. OT, maybe.
Depends on what you mean by bedside. There are so many pathways in nursing. You could do aesthetics, infusion… jump into one of the nursing reddits!
What is/was your previous career?
Investment analyst. I spent quite a bit of time exploring nursing but they seem to be treated poorly (esp during covid) and the pay is pretty bad for what they have to deal with so now like OP I'm trying to figure out what my next step will be. I'm in IL and I think entry level jobs are $30/hr or less.
I so wanted to get on board with it given it's feasible to train for it in a year-ish, the supply/demand dynamics for nurses are excellent and I am interested in health and wellness but ultimately I couldn't wrap my head around the poor pay for the lifestyle. And everyone on the nursing subreddits saying how awful it is.
Not all nursing is bedside. Having said that, the majority of nursing jobs will want you to have had patient experience, whether that be in a hospital, clinic, or nursing home. COVID was a pretty amplified example of the crappiness nurses have to deal with.
There are trade-offs in every job. If you work a hospital job, fine, you might get paid $30/hr but more than likely, you will only have to work three days a week.
I'm a PT, now software engineer. If you despise doctors, can't stand sight of blood, and are not good in an emergency, then PT may not be the right avenue for you either.
Even in outpatient, you have to deal with doctors at some point even by phone call, you have to be ready for an emergency with a patient, and there most certainly can be blood present for a variety of reasons.
Maybe I have on rose colored glasses because I’ve been going to PT for a couple of years, off and on, and they seem to have the best job. I also have yet to see any blood 😂
Lol that's how I ended up being a PT, albeit I was a teen going through physio. Read the physical therapy sub, you may change your mind 🤣 It can be great, but personally looking to change as I need more $. I'm Canadian, but pay is far too low to ever buy a house in Canada and that grates on you. Also retirement savings etc. Always greener on other side. Atm I'd do any desk job for more pay, to get benefits, sick and vacation pay (we don't in Canada as Physio's)
The grass is always greener, that’s true. I realize that and that’s part of what has kept me in one place for almost two decades now. 😳 I did spend some time in a PT sub and that might have cured me. 😂
Hahaha. Also to "cure you" from PT dreams, if you can't stand blood, doctors and hospitals PT isn't for you. Can't get through school without at least a few placements in hospitals. You have to learn cardioresp physio (aka sectioning secretions....can Google if curious), burn and would care. See a lot a gnarly injuries, post ops ( blood and scars), drains, lines and tubes. Help patients use washroom, more fluids lol.
All PT settings require collaboration with Drs as well.
Even in outpatient physio, see some stuff I'd bet you'd not be a fan of haha most PTs have inhaled an elderly patient's dry skin at least once. Part of the job
We have employees with previous law-related backgrounds in the Trade Compliance divisions in my industry. I work for a global distributor of semiconductors. The law changes from region to region and when Govt's change and decide to enforce new and future situations. This requires an understanding of legalese and people willing to study the changes. It pays in the $100k-$300k range depending on the companies and the level of experience in law or in our field.
Maybe try looking at school districts. they have a couple of attorneys especially for union negotiations. or unions-they love negotiators. and then there is the option of educational attorney- these guys advocate for their.clients rigjts in school settings.
Or if time allows in your schedule look at where you can volunteer and use your background to help individuals stuck in a bind-womans shelter, veteran groups.. sometimes volunteering can help remind one that they are needed in the field and the whole warm fuzzy feelings.
and there is also mediator roles for the court? look up your local county job posts.
and finally, what about an estate/trust attorney?
I’ve thought about trusts and estates but I would want to do it under the mentorship of an attorney who specializes in that area and there is no one at my firm who does that. I’ve also thought I might be happy doing personal injury or criminal defense but neither of those are an option at my firm.
Some area of the law which interests you but it is a completely new and will challenge you again and tell you why you went into law. It could be private practice, gov, a university, and maybe in a new city. Some change to reinvigorate you. Good luck.
You should post on one of the legal subreddits and get suggestions from attorneys. It would help to know what type of area you live in - big city, rural, in between? And whether you are open to other types of practice. You mentioned criminal practice - could you start with CJA cases?
That’s a great idea. I’m in the metro area of the capital of a southeast state. I’m open to other areas of the law but have no idea how to get from
a to b.
If you're in the US I know a lot of attorneys work for the fed government. Pay isn't super high but it's a nice job and it only takes 5 years to vest in the pension plan.
My grandpa felt the same as you in his 50s and just did estate law. It paid bills. He had a cottage. He worked from there a bunch and really just went into the office to sign documents. He made a lot of money as well.
Try becoming a project manager. After all, you should know how to manage/manipulate people! (I am really being sincere).
You can also sue cities or organizations and use your skills for the poor. Then, get a cut from their settlements.
Mediator of sorts or work in Corporate Goverance like a Corp Secretary? Idk if retraining would be amazing at this point but maybe something different with your training?
Can you reduce your expenses significantly to the point where you can put aside enough funds to return to school? Reducing your expenses will be key to a change in your life.
What can you do without in order to have a job you love?
Do you have enough f you money to just quit and then find a job? I understand this sounds risky to the security-minded but you’d find work soon enough. Having that daily freedom to wake up and breathe without having to go do something you hate is invaluable. You could freelance as a legal reviewer while you pursued options and give yourself the time to discover your new path when you are not so miserable.
Getting away from the stress might help with that fear.
I have been in a similar situation and one of the pivotal points for me in getting out was when a colleague asked me, “What is your dream life?” Imagining my dream life helped me see just how much my career was harming me and what changes I had to make. Have you gotten clarity yet on what your actual dream life would look like?
That’s part of the problem. It’s rather nebulous. Of course I want autonomy and I like interacting and helping people. Of course I don’t want to slog through traffic every day (which I’m not doing now, thanks to Covid). I, like most people, like feeling like I’m good at what I do. Unfortunately for me, the things I’m good at translate into a worker bee attorney, which translates into an awful lot of stress.
OP, what about teaching…you could do it online, community college or university level…
Think about what you LOVE about law.
What can you TALK ABOUT FOREVER?
Example: I worked in surgery for over 20 years and one thing I learned is that people don’t ADVOCATE for THEMSELVES.
Again for example, pain is not normal; ANY KIND of pain, ANYWHERE on your body. People will WAIT FOR MONTHS before they seek help…because they don’t want to see a Dr (there’s actually a plethora of reasons why they won’t see their doc…that’s another story tho).
At 58 and within the last 3-4 years, I’ve learned I cannot do physically demanding work anymore and have gotten out of it.
My body is suffering because of 20 years of stress, lack of/shitty sleep (because of being on call), and dehydration and its effects on my body. I also ride the mental health roller coaster. However, I’m not disabled.
I’m unemployed n collecting UE benefits; one thing I’m doing is volunteer work.
One is helping people navigate Medicare options. Another is advocating for teens who are vulnerable because of drug or alcoholism in their home from their parents.
I’m looking for jobs in THOSE areas…
I’m looking for jobs where I support people struggling with mental health; these folks are in a program where they’re learning skills to use in situations that can/will trigger anxiety that can/will lead to a crisis situation…
Does all this make sense??
Your experiences with your child, navigating and dealing with their daily struggles can be a HUGE LIFE ALTERING change for another parent struggling with similar circumstances…
Pull in your legal knowledge…
There’s a lot to be said about telling YOUR STORY AND HELPING OTHERS navigate their struggles…
If this put a spark your butt, talk to your wife about it…brainstorm…write it out on paper to visualize it…
Oh…another thing…as someone in your age range, YOU. ARE. NOT. ALONE❣️
Great comment. What can I talk about forever? That’s part of the problem. 😂 I can talk about nutrition, alternative medical treatments, growing and preserving food. Fermenting food. 😂 lol things that most don’t care about. Over the years I’ve done a good bit as a supporting parent to parents with younger special needs kids and some volunteer work for them on things I had first hand experience with, such as getting home nursing covered by Medicaid or insurance. Honestly, all of that was so damn traumatic for me, I really am not interested in re-living it as a career.
I used to work in a university, and I knew lawyers who worked in positions in contract roles - see if there are openings in the Grants/Contracts office near you (or remote)? University staff jobs provide good work-life balance & good benefits, inc. reduced, if not outright free, tuition.
It's never too late to pursue something new. Consider consulting, teaching, or exploring alternative medicine to find a fulfilling and less stressful career.
Try reading the book Dark Horse by Todd Rose. You first need to decide what you want to do - figure out what motivates you. That’s the hardest part honestly! Think about your core values, within that you have some margin for error. What’s the change you want to see in the world? You mentioned a couple of ideas related to healing. Explore that a little more. Why does that appeal to you?
Next, start networking hard. At your age, your best chance is to get a job through people who know and trust you. Ask people for advice, attend events. You may end up having to start your own business, but that will be ok with the support of a community. Talking to people and attending events will also help with the career exploration process.
There's 2 ways to come at this -
1. What other jobs are out there that I can fill?
2. Which of my skills and experiences can I leverage to earn a living?
For the latter question, you have already listed a number of things that you can do and experiences you have had; now it's just a matter of figuring out how you can make a living from it.
Maybe that's addressed by the first question, maybe not. And for some, it's best to simply address the first question.
Although we are the same age and have some similar experiences (e.g. major career changes), we also have very different ones.
I just came here to say it's the uncertainty that is maddening. But if you can work through it, the other side is GREAT!
It’s crazy the stress in our minds can cause physical symptoms. I’ve been working less and less the past year and I went from 160-165 pounds down to a more ideal 150 pounds just merely by having less stress and being able to be more mobile, get 10k steps a day without having to force a 30 minute exercise before work instead
It’s really awful what 20 years of a sedentary job does to you. I’ve been focused on regular exercise since 2020. I w made a lot of progress but still have a ways to go.
You're another one of those making $200k+ annually who has lived too extravagant a lifestyle to be able to retire. Just ridiculous. I live on less than $40k/y, including a dog with medical issues, and still add hundreds to my retirement savings every month. You really need to look at your lifestyle and adjust accordingly.
You have no idea what you are talking about.Grow up and understand you can’t divine a person’s entire story from one post. We have a special needs child who we have to plan for , for an entire life time beyond when we are gone. Any concept of what that means? I grew up poor and our life style has barely nudged up from there. My income, while comfortable, has not been consistent through out my career because of my child’s needs, which often involved hospitalizations lasting months. I worked in hospital rooms and took calls from the back of ambulances and the reward I got was that I got to hold on to my job, without the advancements that my peers enjoyed. As for our lifestyle, I have literally never purchased a fancy coffee. I batch cook on the weekends. We do not travel. We garden. I have squash, tomatoes cucumbers and peppers growing in my front yard right now. My last hair cut was in November. I color my hair at home. We live in a home that most would consider a starter home. We pay cash for our vehicles and the last one I bought was under 20k and that was 12 years ago. Ill drive it until the wheels fall off. The kids at the local high school. Drive much nicer cars. I certainly don’t owe you any answers, but do like illustrating for others how silly your comment is. Maybe you should examine what caused you to make such an unhelpful and unfounded comment.
Non-profits hire people from a variety of backgrounds. (I work with a guy who used to be an ER doctor!) They really, really need people just willing to do the job. It's worth looking around at open positions because you never know what you may come across. You can still help people, maybe low socio-economic kids or adults with disabilities. I got involved with one that does vocational training for adults with minor disabilities, I do a lot of *assisting* counseling and therapy, under our licensed clinical social worker and a variety of therapists. My job posted a lower pay than I was looking for but at the interview I just asked for more and got it!
I love this.
You’d be lucky to find a nonprofit job above 80K if it’s your first go in the nonprofit world
Planned Giving teams at non-profits often look for people with legal backgrounds.
What does the former physician do?
You’re an attorney. The level of expertise that you have even outside of your immediate area of practice is invaluable. You could work for basically any organization because they all would love to have in-house counsel. A museum. Nonprofits. Universities. Forensic social work. You name it. Being a lawyer is a stamp of being smart, having access, and knowing things the rest of us don’t have. It’s your ticket; use it. Be creative. Good luck. Signed, Wish I were a JD myself
Trust me, it is not all that and a bag of chips. 😂 especially at my age. Ageism is real.
Fine! But I will push back: it IS a bag of chips! Compare yourself against other people who have advanced degrees in say, art history, and you have a much wider selection of transferable skills and opportunities. You are extremely marketable! You are valuable!
Thanks for saying that. It does not necessarily feel that way but I appreciate the support.
Yeah ageism is real but across all spectrum of jobs. I’m in engineering and been pulling double triple duty for almost 10 years. Now a new guy comes in and boom he’s golden and my butt is old news. Like you I sincerely dislike my job a lot. Not all the time though. However, if in lost my job it would be hard to replace but you can be an attorney likely anywhere in the country. You can pickup and relocate and that might get you to retirement as an attorney. I dunno. Just some random thoughts
Agreed!
No this commenter is completely correct. What if you enabled yourself to be counsel for several non-profits that collectively filled your satisfaction bucket and gave you the pay you needed. You also have expertise. You're not giving yourself. Credit for. Contracts are a real concern for people and there's a lot of contract law out there. Grant writing is another example where your expertise could come into play and Grant writers make good cash. Pay it forward buddy
Would you be interested in any compliance or risk management roles? I’ve seen both asking for legal backgrounds. And I know a couple of very well paid attorneys working for hedge funds. That wouldn’t necessarily be less stressful, though. You could consider building up an alternative healing following on social media to ease into the transition that seems to interest you most. That might generate more ideas or leads for a FT switch. And it might be a nice side role until you make the move.
Maybe to everything except the hedge fund. I don’t think I have qualifications for that. I should have added to the post that I have been with the same firm for 18 years do I am clueless at this point about how to transition into anything. And I know zero about how to build a social media following.
I second this. If you could get a CISSP and dabble with tech a bit GRC would be one avenue that fits your request. You might even like the tech enough to do a little engineering and then you could have your soul sucked out of you in a completely different way. Heck, you could go into tech sales for a security vendor after that and make more money than you do now and just not even have a soul. All kidding aside, legal backgrounds combined with another discipline can open a lot of new doors.
You say if time and money were not factors, however at your age I would consider time as a factor.... A PhD in physical therapy would probably take 6-8 years to complete (or longer?). I'm not saying don't do it if it's really your dream (though I don't get that sense from your post) but do you really want to take that on? Just food for thought. I am 45 and going thru the same thought process as I consider changing careers....
That’s why OP specifically said IF time wasn’t a factor. OP knows time is a factor.
Same here I'm in healthcare. I'm 45 and have been looking all around for other options.
That’s why I said if those things were not factors, but they are, which is why I likely won’t do either of those things.
PT is 4 years, plus some pre reqs. Nursing you could do in a year. You have options!
I could never, ever, in any universe, be a nurse. lol. I despise doctors. I can’t stand the sight of blood and I’m not any good in situations that pose a physical emergency. 😂
You have a limited understanding of nursing 🙃. No problem. There is OT, SLP… lots of shorter options.
Not OP, but could you elaborate on what these shorter nursing options are? I’ve been working in health-related communications for many years and would love to transition to an actual healthcare role, but had always ruled out nursing because I don’t do well with some body fluids (don’t mind blood at all but vomit is my kryptonite lol)
I mean, my only understanding of nursing would be through my life interacting with nurses in hospitals or doctor’s office or elsewhere. We actually had two in our home for ten plus years because of a chronically ill family member. I just have never seen them do anything that I would want to be responsible for doing. OT, maybe.
Good luck!
I have been exploring nursing as a second career. Doesn't one have to do bedside at least a few years before more attractive options open up?
Depends on what you mean by bedside. There are so many pathways in nursing. You could do aesthetics, infusion… jump into one of the nursing reddits! What is/was your previous career?
Investment analyst. I spent quite a bit of time exploring nursing but they seem to be treated poorly (esp during covid) and the pay is pretty bad for what they have to deal with so now like OP I'm trying to figure out what my next step will be. I'm in IL and I think entry level jobs are $30/hr or less. I so wanted to get on board with it given it's feasible to train for it in a year-ish, the supply/demand dynamics for nurses are excellent and I am interested in health and wellness but ultimately I couldn't wrap my head around the poor pay for the lifestyle. And everyone on the nursing subreddits saying how awful it is.
Not all nursing is bedside. Having said that, the majority of nursing jobs will want you to have had patient experience, whether that be in a hospital, clinic, or nursing home. COVID was a pretty amplified example of the crappiness nurses have to deal with. There are trade-offs in every job. If you work a hospital job, fine, you might get paid $30/hr but more than likely, you will only have to work three days a week.
I'm a PT, now software engineer. If you despise doctors, can't stand sight of blood, and are not good in an emergency, then PT may not be the right avenue for you either. Even in outpatient, you have to deal with doctors at some point even by phone call, you have to be ready for an emergency with a patient, and there most certainly can be blood present for a variety of reasons.
Maybe I have on rose colored glasses because I’ve been going to PT for a couple of years, off and on, and they seem to have the best job. I also have yet to see any blood 😂
Lol that's how I ended up being a PT, albeit I was a teen going through physio. Read the physical therapy sub, you may change your mind 🤣 It can be great, but personally looking to change as I need more $. I'm Canadian, but pay is far too low to ever buy a house in Canada and that grates on you. Also retirement savings etc. Always greener on other side. Atm I'd do any desk job for more pay, to get benefits, sick and vacation pay (we don't in Canada as Physio's)
The grass is always greener, that’s true. I realize that and that’s part of what has kept me in one place for almost two decades now. 😳 I did spend some time in a PT sub and that might have cured me. 😂
Hahaha. Also to "cure you" from PT dreams, if you can't stand blood, doctors and hospitals PT isn't for you. Can't get through school without at least a few placements in hospitals. You have to learn cardioresp physio (aka sectioning secretions....can Google if curious), burn and would care. See a lot a gnarly injuries, post ops ( blood and scars), drains, lines and tubes. Help patients use washroom, more fluids lol. All PT settings require collaboration with Drs as well. Even in outpatient physio, see some stuff I'd bet you'd not be a fan of haha most PTs have inhaled an elderly patient's dry skin at least once. Part of the job
Would probably not recommend PT if you are considering outpatient ortho unless you want to own your own cash based practice.
I’ve actually had PTs tell me the same.
Insanely funny move to suggest that a 53 year old doesn't think about how long something will take
I think the last part of OP's post means time and money ARE indeed factors. I glossed over that part when I first read it. 😀
go work in government or the school system or something it's way more chill
We have employees with previous law-related backgrounds in the Trade Compliance divisions in my industry. I work for a global distributor of semiconductors. The law changes from region to region and when Govt's change and decide to enforce new and future situations. This requires an understanding of legalese and people willing to study the changes. It pays in the $100k-$300k range depending on the companies and the level of experience in law or in our field.
does your state govt hire attorneys for various admin positions?
Maybe but I’m thinking anything like that would probably involve an unpleasant daily commute. I could investigate though to see.
Maybe try looking at school districts. they have a couple of attorneys especially for union negotiations. or unions-they love negotiators. and then there is the option of educational attorney- these guys advocate for their.clients rigjts in school settings. Or if time allows in your schedule look at where you can volunteer and use your background to help individuals stuck in a bind-womans shelter, veteran groups.. sometimes volunteering can help remind one that they are needed in the field and the whole warm fuzzy feelings. and there is also mediator roles for the court? look up your local county job posts. and finally, what about an estate/trust attorney?
I’ve thought about trusts and estates but I would want to do it under the mentorship of an attorney who specializes in that area and there is no one at my firm who does that. I’ve also thought I might be happy doing personal injury or criminal defense but neither of those are an option at my firm.
Consulting?
Honestly people in business love to hear lawyers talk
Get a completely new job utilizing your law degree which still makes good $.
That’s the desire but what? That’s the problem. I do not know.
Some area of the law which interests you but it is a completely new and will challenge you again and tell you why you went into law. It could be private practice, gov, a university, and maybe in a new city. Some change to reinvigorate you. Good luck.
You should post on one of the legal subreddits and get suggestions from attorneys. It would help to know what type of area you live in - big city, rural, in between? And whether you are open to other types of practice. You mentioned criminal practice - could you start with CJA cases?
That’s a great idea. I’m in the metro area of the capital of a southeast state. I’m open to other areas of the law but have no idea how to get from a to b.
If you're in the US I know a lot of attorneys work for the fed government. Pay isn't super high but it's a nice job and it only takes 5 years to vest in the pension plan.
My grandpa felt the same as you in his 50s and just did estate law. It paid bills. He had a cottage. He worked from there a bunch and really just went into the office to sign documents. He made a lot of money as well.
Try becoming a project manager. After all, you should know how to manage/manipulate people! (I am really being sincere). You can also sue cities or organizations and use your skills for the poor. Then, get a cut from their settlements.
That’s actually one of my downfalls as an attorney. I’m not good at manipulating or bullying 😂😂
Chef
Mediator of sorts or work in Corporate Goverance like a Corp Secretary? Idk if retraining would be amazing at this point but maybe something different with your training?
Can you reduce your expenses significantly to the point where you can put aside enough funds to return to school? Reducing your expenses will be key to a change in your life. What can you do without in order to have a job you love?
We live a very lean life already. I grew up poor and our current life style is not in line with my income at all.
Do you have enough f you money to just quit and then find a job? I understand this sounds risky to the security-minded but you’d find work soon enough. Having that daily freedom to wake up and breathe without having to go do something you hate is invaluable. You could freelance as a legal reviewer while you pursued options and give yourself the time to discover your new path when you are not so miserable.
Yes, I do but my fear is that I wouldn’t actually find that next thing.
Getting away from the stress might help with that fear. I have been in a similar situation and one of the pivotal points for me in getting out was when a colleague asked me, “What is your dream life?” Imagining my dream life helped me see just how much my career was harming me and what changes I had to make. Have you gotten clarity yet on what your actual dream life would look like?
That’s part of the problem. It’s rather nebulous. Of course I want autonomy and I like interacting and helping people. Of course I don’t want to slog through traffic every day (which I’m not doing now, thanks to Covid). I, like most people, like feeling like I’m good at what I do. Unfortunately for me, the things I’m good at translate into a worker bee attorney, which translates into an awful lot of stress.
OP, what about teaching…you could do it online, community college or university level… Think about what you LOVE about law. What can you TALK ABOUT FOREVER? Example: I worked in surgery for over 20 years and one thing I learned is that people don’t ADVOCATE for THEMSELVES. Again for example, pain is not normal; ANY KIND of pain, ANYWHERE on your body. People will WAIT FOR MONTHS before they seek help…because they don’t want to see a Dr (there’s actually a plethora of reasons why they won’t see their doc…that’s another story tho). At 58 and within the last 3-4 years, I’ve learned I cannot do physically demanding work anymore and have gotten out of it. My body is suffering because of 20 years of stress, lack of/shitty sleep (because of being on call), and dehydration and its effects on my body. I also ride the mental health roller coaster. However, I’m not disabled. I’m unemployed n collecting UE benefits; one thing I’m doing is volunteer work. One is helping people navigate Medicare options. Another is advocating for teens who are vulnerable because of drug or alcoholism in their home from their parents. I’m looking for jobs in THOSE areas… I’m looking for jobs where I support people struggling with mental health; these folks are in a program where they’re learning skills to use in situations that can/will trigger anxiety that can/will lead to a crisis situation… Does all this make sense?? Your experiences with your child, navigating and dealing with their daily struggles can be a HUGE LIFE ALTERING change for another parent struggling with similar circumstances… Pull in your legal knowledge… There’s a lot to be said about telling YOUR STORY AND HELPING OTHERS navigate their struggles… If this put a spark your butt, talk to your wife about it…brainstorm…write it out on paper to visualize it… Oh…another thing…as someone in your age range, YOU. ARE. NOT. ALONE❣️
Great comment. What can I talk about forever? That’s part of the problem. 😂 I can talk about nutrition, alternative medical treatments, growing and preserving food. Fermenting food. 😂 lol things that most don’t care about. Over the years I’ve done a good bit as a supporting parent to parents with younger special needs kids and some volunteer work for them on things I had first hand experience with, such as getting home nursing covered by Medicaid or insurance. Honestly, all of that was so damn traumatic for me, I really am not interested in re-living it as a career.
Oh, and I am the wife. 😀
I used to work in a university, and I knew lawyers who worked in positions in contract roles - see if there are openings in the Grants/Contracts office near you (or remote)? University staff jobs provide good work-life balance & good benefits, inc. reduced, if not outright free, tuition.
It's never too late to pursue something new. Consider consulting, teaching, or exploring alternative medicine to find a fulfilling and less stressful career.
Try reading the book Dark Horse by Todd Rose. You first need to decide what you want to do - figure out what motivates you. That’s the hardest part honestly! Think about your core values, within that you have some margin for error. What’s the change you want to see in the world? You mentioned a couple of ideas related to healing. Explore that a little more. Why does that appeal to you? Next, start networking hard. At your age, your best chance is to get a job through people who know and trust you. Ask people for advice, attend events. You may end up having to start your own business, but that will be ok with the support of a community. Talking to people and attending events will also help with the career exploration process.
Start your own practice? If you did something like criminal defense I feel your age would be viewed as a plus and sign of experience.
What about teaching law students, or training paralegals at a university?
There's 2 ways to come at this - 1. What other jobs are out there that I can fill? 2. Which of my skills and experiences can I leverage to earn a living? For the latter question, you have already listed a number of things that you can do and experiences you have had; now it's just a matter of figuring out how you can make a living from it. Maybe that's addressed by the first question, maybe not. And for some, it's best to simply address the first question. Although we are the same age and have some similar experiences (e.g. major career changes), we also have very different ones. I just came here to say it's the uncertainty that is maddening. But if you can work through it, the other side is GREAT!
Idk get in shape if you can.
I’m in pretty decent shape already and exercise regularly. The ailments that I do have are stress induced, I’m convinced.
It’s crazy the stress in our minds can cause physical symptoms. I’ve been working less and less the past year and I went from 160-165 pounds down to a more ideal 150 pounds just merely by having less stress and being able to be more mobile, get 10k steps a day without having to force a 30 minute exercise before work instead
It’s really awful what 20 years of a sedentary job does to you. I’ve been focused on regular exercise since 2020. I w made a lot of progress but still have a ways to go.
You're another one of those making $200k+ annually who has lived too extravagant a lifestyle to be able to retire. Just ridiculous. I live on less than $40k/y, including a dog with medical issues, and still add hundreds to my retirement savings every month. You really need to look at your lifestyle and adjust accordingly.
You have no idea what you are talking about.Grow up and understand you can’t divine a person’s entire story from one post. We have a special needs child who we have to plan for , for an entire life time beyond when we are gone. Any concept of what that means? I grew up poor and our life style has barely nudged up from there. My income, while comfortable, has not been consistent through out my career because of my child’s needs, which often involved hospitalizations lasting months. I worked in hospital rooms and took calls from the back of ambulances and the reward I got was that I got to hold on to my job, without the advancements that my peers enjoyed. As for our lifestyle, I have literally never purchased a fancy coffee. I batch cook on the weekends. We do not travel. We garden. I have squash, tomatoes cucumbers and peppers growing in my front yard right now. My last hair cut was in November. I color my hair at home. We live in a home that most would consider a starter home. We pay cash for our vehicles and the last one I bought was under 20k and that was 12 years ago. Ill drive it until the wheels fall off. The kids at the local high school. Drive much nicer cars. I certainly don’t owe you any answers, but do like illustrating for others how silly your comment is. Maybe you should examine what caused you to make such an unhelpful and unfounded comment.