Hi Webby,

I agree especially with "an old friend". I have found that the most negative experiences and people I have encountered have stirred me into the most into positive action. For 15 I was trapped in a safe, secure public service job which paid the bills and gave me just enough job satisfaction to keep me there for the 14 & a half years after I realised I was in the wrong job. I kept trying to get out of it but the security of it and the fear of not being able to survive financially just kept me immobilised. Through a series of other short term jobs I have now taken a flying leap off a very tall cliff (that's how it feels right now) to set up my own business and I'm living below the poverty line and just barely managing to find money for the bills when they arrive, but...

It is the best thing I have ever done because one of my key life goals is to make sure that I have quality of life in the emotional & psychological sense. I could never have that in my long-term job, and the future looks a lot brighter for me now than it ever has in my 2o-something years of being in the workforce.

Hang in there, but more importantly, after you recover from the shock, start to think about what you *really* want in your life. Helen

P.S. My business is helping people to identify their life and career goals, and to delve into the deep/fundamental values and desires we all have which are the foundation for making a clear plan of action for our lives. If it helps to talk about these things please feel free to e-mail me. You can send a private message through the Mudcat members list. Just go back to the main Mudcat Forum page and click on Messages, and look for my name It's either Helen or Helen in Oz.