Debating whether or not i should enroll in college. I am currently a licensed cosmetologist that specializes in waxing but it’s not giving me a sense of fulfillment. I had a client encourage me to get become a child counselor and all I would need is an associates degree to get started. Advice would be much appreciated.
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Go for it , nothing to loose only gain
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I was a cosmetologist in my previous life for almost a decade. After I got sober and moved , I decided not to take it back up. It was nice when I was using. I was self employed and could make that job work for me.
If it interests you, why not take a chance? I think finding work that is fulfilling is super important for our journey. A lot of times when we sober up we realize we are different people than before, and with that comes a need to go do different things.
Plus side is, you can do some con ed and keep up your license, and if it doesn’t work out, you still have a job you can easily get back into.
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I feel like a total different person that I was 10 years ago when i went to beauty school. What did you change your career to?
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Well, when I moved here 4.5 years ago I found a job at a golf course and loved it. I was outside, moving all day, breathing fresh air.
I also signed up for Rover and started walking/ babysitting people’s pets.
COVID came and I basically took over running the whole golf course/ restaurant operations as the GM doing 50+ hour weeks. After about 6 months I had to walk away. I had never wanted to work in restaurants again and got thrust into it and was truly unhappy.
But I still had my Rover account. So I contacted a couple of clients and let them know I was open for anything.
So, walking dogs turned full time in late 2020, mostly helping older people with mobility issues. I had a couple of those people ask me if I knew someone who would clean their homes and I told them I would. I also recently picked up a temporary home health aide job.
Now I am a licensed house cleaner, dog walker, and gardener. I get daily exercise, I am helping elderly people, and I am my own boss again.
Even on the bad days ( weather and mood) walking around outside is amazing for my physical and mental health.
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Thats wonderful. So inspiring to hear your success story.
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I hope you can find something fulfilling for you. There’s a lot of ways to help others and give back to your community. Mine turned out to be old people, maybe yours is helping children. You won’t know unless you try, though.
The first step is realizing that you have a problem (
unfulfilling job), and taking action.
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Thank you. I definitely wanna do something in mental health.
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If it is calling to you and you can afford it, maybe start with a class or two and see how it feels? If nothing else, you can expand your knowledge base and skill set and maybe meet some new friends.
I went back to school 10 years after my AS degree and got my BS degree and it was a positive move for me…even tho I didn’t use my Bachelor’s to earn money. Times have changed of course, but if you have the opportunity, why not?
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That’s incredible! I’m sure you have rough days, but your gig seems to offer the best of all worlds. Flexibility, purpose, movement and no office cubicle.
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A couple of thoughts/questions. . .
How long have you been sober? I ask because I changed a lot in that first year of recovery. I was going to go back to school to get a masters in addiction therapy which would have been really financially difficult and put me into debt. I waited, and found that they have a great recovery coaching certificate which more aligns to what I want to be doing anyway.
Have you talked to someone in the profession you are interested in to discuss their day to day experiences, etc.? I would research the heck out of that before committing to school and spending the money. Unfortunately, all of the people I know in social work professions are miserable and fleeing the industry.
There are a lot of things you can do to explore what speaks to your long term interests before making a big financial commitment like going back to school. Also, not to repeat this, but I’m so glad I waited and had some sober time before I pull the trigger on even a coaching certificate. So much change occurred in that first year to 18 months of sobriety.
Regardless, congrats on freedom from alcohol and all the opportunities that are abundant in a sober life.
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It’s better to try and fail then to never try and live with regret. Go for it 
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Go for it, i did a teaching qualification not sure at the time whether i was doing the right thing but it has been so rewarding
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Complete your FAFSA, get a catalog and review the classes you need, make an appointment with a counselor at the college of your choice, start small and take a College Success Class along with something like an introductory English class. I was a College Coordinator for 5 years so if you have any questions, let me know. Totally doable and you’ll never regret an education!
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Gather as much information as you can, also from people working in the field, make a list on all the changes it will bring to go for this education short/middle/longterm, sleep some nights over it to make sure there’s nothing essential left out in your list e.g. financial insecurities plan for a worst case scenario - and then go for it if you are still convinced and have a plan 
I changed fields of work several times and never regreted it. I’m myself in consideration how to proceed further at the moment, it will take time, could be well into the next year too. I’m a slow person when it comes to big decisions. Once I decided I go for it and never looked back, because I never regreted making a change
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You can take an interest survey at your local college. They probably have them on line. It will give you an idea of fields of study. Make a plan. And you can do it. 
Are you finding fulfillment in other areas of your life?
The only thing that isnt fulfilling is my social life. I dont go out or have any friends. But other than that im good.