Thoughts

It's been a week since last post and there's some thoughts I wanted to get out of my head and on to something permanent. I don't know if it will help or not but who knows?

First though I think I am making a bit of progress on my rope climb. Got a little higher up on my try at the gym last night. The rope still hurts the top of my foot like hell though. Was a good workout too. I used a higher step for the box jumps. Gonna try to raise the bar a little each time I go. Just a little. Don't want to get too crazy. ;)

Getting excited for the Mud Run! 16 days away! We have planned a canoe river tip next weekend for four days. Funny but it seems both of us are more excited about the run. Weirdness.

Okay, so for my more serious topic. I have been thinking and researching a bit about going back to school. Relatively speaking I have a good job as a probation officer. Government job and pension (someday), and the pay is good. However lately it seems as I have lost some interest in what I do. It's hard to explain, but part of my job is to hopefully help or be the push people need to change their lives. I know there will always be some who won't and that's fine. People make their own choices no matter what, but it has been getting tiring seeing them make bad choices over and over again. We are not allowed to physically slap sense into them so it gets frustrating.

I like talking to people. I like helping them help themselves to improve. The thought I had one day was that I would like to have a client base who WANT to come see me. Not seeing me because they have to. For this I would need to be some sort of counsellor or psychologist. This means going back to school. While watching a movie called 50/50 I had one of those "it would be cool to to that moments". It was about a man who was diagnosed with cancer and he started seeing a counsellor to help him deal with it all. This interested me right away. Turns out there is a field called health psychology.

While thinking about this avenue I also heard the term Wellness Coach on a podcast. It is sort of like a personal trainer (without actually working out with them) where you help people with their health/fitness goals. You don't make a plan for them but motivate and encourage. This only requires a certificate and I guess you could have your own client base or join with other health professionals. Even some big companies are employing them for their employers. Also interesting.

My dilemma seems to be evolving. The university allows me to get my masters online which is great. Expensive of course as any school usually is and will take about three years. Then I still must register with an organizing body in Alberta and maybe jump through some other hoops. The wellness coach thing I could take a certificate, for much cheaper and take much less time. But there is no real regulation in the industry. The biggest downside is that with both careers I could start out making a lot less than I am now. It could eventually turn out to a higher salary in a few year, but no guarantee.

So the debate. Josh feels if I would be happier doing this then there isn't much question. My sticking point is why leave a good job and possible pension for less money? I sometimes feel like why spend more money on schooling to earn less? Does not make sense to me. I think making less money might make me unhappy. Not in the material sense, but as in more stress to make ends meet. Especially if we want to have a family. Why put more stress on Josh as well?

I think the masters program is at least $18 000. This is a lot of money, especially when I think about how far that money will go towards our dream of buying land and building a sustainable house. We have been taking about his for a long time now and have been saving to try to make it happen. If I go to school that could severely delay these plans and that's something I don't want at all. Once we have built the house I can always consider school then. Or even take a wellness coach certificate in the meantime and do that part time.

I actually found myself saying last night that I probably was willing to stay in a job that I am losing passion for to help make this dream of ours come true. I know some of my thoughts on this sound crazy to Josh. Maybe they are a little crazy. I have always admired people who can make a living with their passions or interests and would always tell others to go for it. On the other hand, living in the country and building this house is something I really want to so whatever I had to do to help make that happen I'm still following one of my dreams.

Right?