Finally I have a label for the way I have been feeling lately, which is different to say the least. At first I thought I was really depressed, then insane, but I think I'm just having a midlife crisis. I am a qualified english teacher and am more than halfway through my Masters in Career Development. Last year I thought I might want to be an early childhood teacher and did some extra study in that area. I have worked in education for most of my adult life, but for most of this year I have just not been satisfied with teaching and I was resenting having to go to school to earn a living.
I looked over my transferable skills, like I was taught in my career studies, and I found I had lots of transferable skills, but most of them transfered to some type of job in education, one skill stood out as different and that was cleaning. Anyone who has been to my house knows that sits between barely clean and pig sty, pig sty more often than not. Therefore, when I decided to take this year off teaching to start a cleaning business I got a few raised eyebrows.
I have been cleaning houses for about two months now and am about to employ some casual staff and I love it. Its not perfect, this week I had a really sore back, so couldn't work for a day which meant no money earnt that day either. I also end up looking like a sweaty pig at the end of each day and some people talk to me like I am stupid, but I can live with these things. I will be hiring staff, so when I am unwell or away they can continue with my jobs. I have a nice warm shower, so being a sweaty pig is temporary. I know that I am not stupid.
I sound like a madwoman (maybe its the midlife crisis), but I get so much pleasure out of cleaning other people's houses. When I clean my mind is complely blank, completely, and that is a rare and beautiful thing. Previously and when I'm not cleaning my mind is a buzz and that gets tiring. I don't exercise, or meditate, I find it hard to just sit. If I am sitting down, I am either reading, writing or thinking. Cleaning has become meditation for me and I love it. I think I'm the happiest in myself that I have been since before I had Riley.
I am embracing my midlife crisis, I wish I had more money so I could go the whole hog and buy myself a convertable and really enjoy it!
It's not really a "crisis" it's just a desire to be happy with your life and enjoy it. We all do that! I do draw the line however at the type of "crisis" that has (sorry - usually married men) seeking no strings "company" with someone other than their life partner (read wife)!! Their motives are purely selfish and they are clearly thinking with their (apparently rather small) penises! The heartbreak that this causes is horrible (and you will be caught!).
ReplyDeleteOooops.... went a bit off subject there, but vented anonymously nonetheless!
Lol! True and no chance of that with my midlife crisis:).
DeleteGood on you for doing something that you love!!! How many of us can say that we're doing that ?
ReplyDeleteMy mum's a cleaner (and she's at the ripe old age of 78). She loves it because she loves the responsibility and it's important for her to keep feeling that her skills are needed. And yes, she can't keep still for the life of her either!
It's not a midlife crisis at all...
This is really inspiring.
As always, thanks Grace! Your mum sounds pretty awesome btw.
DeleteGood for you for finding what you need to do right now. In the early years of my career my work was often stressful, and every so often I would leave for a year and go and do temp work, often reception duties or mindless data entry. This raised a few eyebrows as well, as I had a good career in the media! But I needed to stop stressing and I needed to do a job that I didn't take home with me. It was a way of recharging my batteries and then after a year or so I'd return. I got out of that kind of media altogether and found what I was happy doing using similar skills but out of radio, and I never went back to data entry either :) Just telling you this story because maybe it isn't a midlife crisis, and maybe it isn't your new career either. Maybe it's just a way to recharge your batteries. But it doesn't matter anyway because you feel better about things.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your story, I feel that something to do with dyslexia is around the corner for me.
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