Every time I show an interest in any type of career path, those around me put me down. For example, I would mention things like becoming a Paralegal, and was told, by someone who once did it to not go in it. The hours are very long, and it was super stressful (hidden comment: you can’t do it. You’re too weak). I mentioned becoming a social worker. I was told, “You have to be able to take care of your own health before you help others.” I wanted to become a dental hygienist. The money and stability are great. My psychiatrist said, “Oh lord, no. You’re too creative for that. It would bore you to death.” He tried to get me to consider going back to graphic design, and I’ve got a ton of failures from that industry. It’s like the doctor didn’t listen to any of my complaints.
I get discouraged so easily. How do I get the strength to believe I can do something when I failed to make it in an industry that I thought I was born to be in? (I got to a really high level with illustration too, but it’s not worth anything. There’s little demand for it.)
I’m fearful of not being able to do the job that I would choose. That my illness wouldn’t interfere, causing me to screw up all the time…I don’t even know if I could pass a course. And then I’d have to pay off a student loan…
Right now, it’s fiction writing. Someone tried to convince me to go into technical writing, but I think I’d be bored in that for sure. But few of the people on best sellers list, for fiction writing, do writing full time. They all have day jobs. And even then, I can only do it for 1 to 2 hours a day.
The only thing you can do is try. Pick something and do it. You might make mistakes but there’s a good chance you’ll improve over time. If not, just try something else
Yeah same here. My parents are supportive. I think its great you’re doing fiction writing. I wish I could write every day, its something I will have to work on. I have so many ideas of what I would write about.
This isn’t the 1950s. I was stable when I dated. I was on meds. I wasn’t negative either. I’m a pretty positive person. It didn’t matter to men. They run for the hills. I’m not going to put myself through that kind of rejection again.
So is insurance. Dealing with customers who are upset is the worst part of it, yet I manage and apparently do it well. Many of us handle stressful interactions and cognitive loads beyond our own estimations. I would say don’t give up easily on it.
