Queercents

As I’m sailing toward finals week in school, I figured this is a good time to wrap up my Bliss Chronicles series. Soon I’ll have lots of time on my hands during the summer break to think about where my career is going. Heck, I’m already thinking about it now, even though I should be focused on finals.

I’ve found that it’s easy to get caught up in distracting thoughts of the future when you’re in the thick of a career transition. At least when I was an undergrad many years ago, my anxiety about life after college actually helped me focus on my schoolwork. Studying kept me from dreading about what I will do after graduation.

Now I’m older. All my friends are moving along in their careers; those annoying alumni reception newsletters I get in my inbox make me wonder how I’m doing compared to everyone else I graduated with; my mom and dad always find some way to communicate their worry that they failed me in life because I’m 30 and don’t have an official job. It’s easy to feel behind in these shoes.

However, I feel surprisingly patient and more in control of my career than ever before. What gives? Read the rest of this entry »

Before deciding to go back to school, I had to research what’s available and what I could afford. I was happy to find a certificate program at my local community college that would only cost me about $500 for each semester, including books and tuition.

Since both the program and price sounded great, I then had to figure out how I would pay for living expenses while I was in school. If I had to do this process all over again, I would have eaten the cost of talking to a financial advisor instead of enduring the messy and hectic process I endured.

I’ll skip forward past how the process worked for me because it’s a private matter with unique circumstances, and also, you need to examine the condition of your own current finances and tailor a personalized solution that will keep your finances healthy. Read the rest of this entry »

[If you’ve been following along with The Bliss Chronicles, you’ll notice I’m taking a different approach to money writing. I’ve always felt personal finance could use some more humanity, although in this week’s edition I’m plowing further ahead in my detour. Brace yourself.]

No career transition is easy, though some are more manageable depending on circumstances. I’m lucky to have a supportive partner and a fairly stable financial situation. I don’t take these facts for granted. Not anymore at least.

When I was being overworked as a paralegal, I had to abandon time I’d dedicate to most of my interests. I had little or no time for reading books, cooking, enjoying nature, or finding obscure music and movies. I barely had time to date Zac, but I made it happen because I met an incredible person.

Zac turned out to be my mirror during a time when I didn’t recognize myself, and I don’t just mean that in some annoying dramatic way. I mean it literally too — there were weeks that I was pulling so many all-nighters at work that I couldn’t even think straight, unless it was related to the facts of a case I was working on. Read the rest of this entry »

Are you thinking about a career transition, but you’re not really sure you have it in you to follow through with it?

Sometimes you’re taking steps towards a more satisfying career without really knowing. At least, that’s what happened to me, and momentum built up from there.

Nearly a year and a half ago I started blogging for Queercents because I had just completed a class on finance, and I wanted to apply what to I learned. Although I was working as a paralegal in financial institution litigation, my job had nothing to do with money on the personal level. I thought, Heck, I’ll do this blogging stuff for fun.

Much to my surprise, I found that it came rather easy to me, although of course there were nights my fist would pound the desk and I’d curse the very idea of writing. But once I finished a post, I forgot all about the momentary misery and loved blogging as a creative outlet again. Read the rest of this entry »

The greatest joy in writing for Queercents is when I get a comment that says I’ve inspired someone — that I’ve given someone strength to follow their passion in life. I live for those comments as much as I live to see the beaming smile on my partner’s face first thing when I wake up in the morning.

Now that I’m a full-time student again, there are few thoughts about my finances that qualify as stirring. I’m learning to be quite resourceful on a tight budget, but I have much more important things to share with you than the things I do to shave $20 here and there from my expenses.

I’ve somehow overcome a lifetime of doubt and insecurity about what I truly want from life. I’m finally making a rewarding career happen, and if I can be any part in helping you to do it too, well… awesome!

I’ve decided to start a new series called The Bliss Chronicles because I think I’m onto something. Since I’ve been growing and learning immensely by following a career path that’s more meaningful to me, I figured that I should chronicle the ups and downs of the process to offer encouragement to those of you who also want to take the first step in achieving career bliss.

And for those of you already navigating the sometimes-frightening waters of pursuing your dream, I hope my weekly reflections will not only help you stay afloat, but embolden you more. Read the rest of this entry »