A
female
age
36-40,
*rincessjasmine
writes:Hi guys,you've always given me great advice on love so now I need some career advice. Before I start, I want to say that I have some form of ocd called pure o, where I over analyze thoughts to the point where I have become mentally ill and anxious. Basically, I am an elementary school teacher. I never worked hard in college, it was a breeze getting my masters in education. I regret not going for a double major like English or political science. At the time I had gotten into a really good school of ed that would certify me by my fifth year and get my masters. However, I bombed student teaching because my cooperating teacher had breast cancer, I had special needs kids in my class mixed with average kids at an inner city school. I was not organized or able to manage my class (I'm not an organized person) so they kicked me out before the fifth year. I graduated with a bachelors in ed without certification. I was devastated. But I didn't give up, I got my masters and certification at another university and taught overseas for 2 years. I did well! But the summer before my second year teaching, I ran into a fortune teller and he told me that I wouldn't teach in the future but I'll help people. I was shocked! I loved my job! But he always creeped in my head with thoughts like ' maybe I should do something bigger and better, be a legend, be something respectable and big. Maybe I should get a real masters in something difficult like politics or law and change the world!' Then I taught back in the states for a year and bombed! Its easier overseas because you get away with a lot, especially in big schools, although I was an asset to my grade level team and thought I was a successful teacher abroad) but it was brutal in the states. I was not organized and couldn't manage all the different types of parents and kids. So I finished the school year and quit. Now my thoughts about the fortune teller came again so I went to see another one and he said the same thing: you won't be a teacher. Now, its really bugging me. What should I be then? I think about being a diplomat or a humanitarian but a part of me feels like I'm not sure if its me, I never got into politics, I don't even enjoy history or the news. But I sometimes think that maybe with everything that's happened with teaching, I shouldn't do it. I also think maybe I should be a politician to show the world that I can be more than a teacher, that I've gotten another masters in something difficult like policy. I also think there are bigger issues in the world than education. But I am confused, am I thinking this because of the fortune tellers saying I'm not meant to teach or am I thinking to aim high and be fearless or am i thinking to show others I'm smart and hard working. I'm clearly insecure about my degree in education especially because I'm South Asian and most of us are doctors, engineers or lawyers. I want to be prestigious and a leader. I just don't know how. I never took an interest in helping the world until the fortune teller said I would but I have also realized that I do truly want to help as much as I can but I'm not sure I can make a living off of humanitarian work. Besides, I do want to live a happy, comfortable life with my family and be a mom that isn't a workaholic. I also don't want to give up on the career I worked so hard in getting. There's still so much I need to learn and improve about the education field so why change so soon? So I'm going to teach my biggest class yet this year, overseas again and see how it goes. My question is am I afraid of becoming a diplomat because it is a lot of work and steps or do I truly want to change careers or has the fortune tellers, 2 of them) messed with my head? Or should I do something more challenging?
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female
reader, princessjasmine +, writes (22 August 2013):
princessjasmine is verified as being by the original poster of the questionThank you! Yes, I want that spark back and stop relying on fortunes telling me something else. I'm not sure I believe them but some stuff is pretty creepily accurate and specific so but I can't guarantee that its true until things unfold I guess. Also,I do love teaching and I hope to be a great teacher thus year. I'm motivated and meant to be one right now. I'm still going to volunteer my time to organizations that make a difference and see what it's like. You're right, I don't want to deal with such a huge responsibility to be a politician. But I just don't want to be a chicken either. But being happy and realistic is important!
A
female
reader, Honeypie +, writes (21 August 2013):
 Teaching IS helping. YOU can make a HUGE difference in a (more more then one) child's life by providing then the skills to learn how to think for themselves.
Do I believe in fortune tellers? no. Should you? That I will leave up to you.
If teaching makes you happy, obviously it was something you wanted to do for many years, and you say it makes you happy.
What you should do (in my honest opinion) is be the BEST teacher you can be and ENJOY what you do. Stop doubting yourself.
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A
female
reader, Ciar  +, writes (21 August 2013):
 I know a few people who got similar 'readings'. Myself included. A friend put on a big production for Halloween one year. They had another friend who claimed to be a psychic and offered free readings, so in the spirit of the season....Anyhoo she told me pretty much the same thing. I didn't take it seriously then and still don't.
Psychic readings are more about profiling than they are about seeing into the future. Within seconds of meeting you they can size up what kind of person you are, where you are in life, how confident you are, how impressionable you are, how eager you are to please and what you likely expect to hear.
They have nothing to offer you, but since you've paid them a fee, they feel obliged to give you something to chew on. So you get the standard predictions which are so deliberately vague they can apply to just about anyone. According to them everyone is on the cusp of a major change, is destined for something big, is meant to help people and so on.
The problem with over analyzing is you're not getting the big picture because you're too focused on the minute details.
The other issue I have with this sort of thing is the implication that anyone who isn't rich, famous and powerful is a nobody whose contributions are worth nothing. We can't all be doctors, lawyers and world leaders. If we were, who would produce and prepare the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the cars or public transit we use to get to and from? Who would build the homes we live in or the buildings we work in? Who would keep our neighbourhoods clean?
Even people who are world famous for helping others aren't helping the WHOLE WORLD. Mother Theresa, as good as woman as she was, was just one person, helping SOME of the poor in ONE city.
You already are making a difference. You're helping your customers (students/parents), your colleagues, your family, your community and you're indirectly helping those whose lives will be touched by the people you touch directly.
If you choose one day to do something different, that's entirely up to you, but don't let someone trick you into giving up what you enjoy or convince you that you're a nobody because you're not famous. It's not up to one person or even a small handful of people to fix the world. It's up to all of us to do our small bit. And all of it counts.
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A
female
reader, Got Issues  +, writes (21 August 2013):
 I wouldn't take anything a fortune teller says as gospel, because they have clever ways of guessing things about people and telling them in ways that make those people feel that they apply directly to their lives. It's basically a load of crap. My mum used to go and see fortune tellers and she believed everything they told her, none of which has ever come true.
If you are not happy teaching, then certainly look into doing something else. I spent the last five years teaching and I knew it wasn't for me, so I recently quit to go back into education. I'm sure I'm making the right decision because I found teaching daunting and stressful even after five years.
I would say, however, that if by your own admission you are not organised and were unable to cope with the different types of children and parents, then being a political leader is not the right road for you. This is a very ambitious career and not so easy to break into and succeed in. You would need to be highly organised and efficient and deal with all sorts of people. There would be a lot of pressure on you from every direction.
Perhaps instead of going to a fortune teller you could visit a careers adviser just to get some ideas together. You don't have to stick to one career, you can try different things and some of them might not work out but that's OK. The important thing is to find something that fulfills you, where you don't feel that you are wasting your life by going to work every day.
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A
female
reader, Intrigued3000 +, writes (21 August 2013):
 I think you're analyzing things too much again. Close your eyes, meditate, relax, be still, quiet your racing thoughts, and think about what makes you happy and fulfilled in life? Is it something creative? Is it teaching? If it is teaching what is it about teaching that makes you happy? What do you enjoy doing? When you find the answer to that question then research ways to make a career out of it. What is it about helping people that makes you happy? If you want to analyse anything, analyse what makes you happy and go from there.
I wouldn't put too much stock on these fortune tellers, but at least they got you thinking about how to lead a more fulfilled life. Don't stress too much about it. Things always have a way of working out or falling into place. Just focus on what makes you happy.
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