Mid-Career Switch Blues

Attending seminars at 40 feels different—

I am not there to impress anyone, I am there to figure things out.

Switching careers at this stage isn’t reckless—

it’s intentional.

I am not starting over; I am redirecting.

Seminars become testing grounds,

helping me to explore new paths without blind commitment.

There’s risk, but there’s also clarity.

And at 40,

clarity matters more than speed.

Though I really hated the whole process of feeling vulnerable and stupid with my past commitment.

I would never have expected myself to feel so lost and wandered without any purpose.

I resented how it all unfolded.

But at the same time,

I know I couldn’t have stayed on a path where the company’s direction and values no longer matched mine.

I am glad I met many passionate HR personnels whom patiently walks me through their organization culture and structure.

If age and academic credentials weren’t such firm entry barriers,

I would have seriously considered moving into the government sector.

Now, I have to choose a path I can commit as I grow old with.

"Scared is what you're feeling. Brave is what you're doing." — Emma Donoghue