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Dear Community,

Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.

If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.

Thank you.

Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.

Doing what you love

Just want to say that this year so far has been very interesting. Some of you might know that I have a day job...I do graphic design to pay the bills. I love graphic design but my PASSION is art. Illustration, fine art, any of that stuff makes my soul sing! But I sit here art directing business magazines and my soul dries up.

Recently for whatever reason, the freelance jobs that call for my illustration talents have been piling up. So much so, that it looks like I may soon be able to leave the day job. I can barely believe it as it's almost too good to be true.

The difference I feel in my mood, my energy level, and my overall happiness is incredible. Like I see a light at the end of the tunnel and am full of hope. Maybe this degree in "illustration" wasn't so useless afterall. Anyway, I am sharing this with you because if my gut is telling me anything, it's that it's so important to do what you love. The quality of life becomes exponentially better. So for anyone who is stuck at a job they hate (like I've been for the past 3 years), do everything you can possibly to do be active in finding something better. Don't just stay because it's comfortable or safe. Give yourself that opportunity to be truly happy. I wish I figured this out 3 years ago.....

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Re: Doing what you love

  • Good for you! I would love to do what I really want, which is photography. I just haven't found anything yet. I am looking, and I refuse to take some little job unless it's something creative!
  • I couldn't agree more. I was in a job that I HATED (mostly because of my boss and director) for three years and I was miserable. I knew I was miserable but until I landed my dream job last October and got out, I really didn't know just how miserable I was. Every part of my life is better now and everyone (my former boss included!) has commented on how much happier I am and look.

     

    TTC #1 since June 2008 *SAIFW*

    TI, IUIs, IVF = c/ps and BFNs

  • Congratulations! You're so lucky to have a job you love!

     I haven't gotten there yet. When I'm fortunate enough to have a job at all in my field of work, I always seem to detest it. I went to school for Ecology and I thought that's what I wanted to do, but I've done a number of jobs in my field and so far no dice! I'm seriously thinking about changing careers.

    Not all was lost though....it was only because of my education/career choice that I met my husband!

    Funnily enough, my favorite job of all time was when I was in college and I would walk around campus giving parking tickets. It was awesome, and sometimes I was able to do it with my twin. Maybe I should just be a meter maid....  ;)

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  • That's so wonderful! I agree with everything you said 100%. If you do what you love you'll never work a day in your life.
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  • YAY!! I'm happy for these positive responses!

    I will say I know it's not easy. For many of us, our "dream jobs" are risky. They don't guarantee money or fame or stability. But, even if you stay disciplined and do your passion on the side it's something. It will give you joy. Never give up. If you keep looking, the opportunity will come eventually. I've been unhappy at this job for 3 years, and I've been doing freelance on the side the whole time. It is finally coming to the point where I have consistent clients, but it didn't happen right away. Don't ever give up the quest of doing what you love!!! :)

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  • Congrats!  MH is finishing up his bachelors in Art Studio and it drives us insane when people give him that blank look and ask, "Soooo, what are you going to do after school?"  Um, art.

    It's so nice to hear of someone finding some success!

    Damn you Nest for screwing up my siggy!

    .: Diary of a Recovering Runner :.

    Vacation
  • Thank you so much for this encouragement and testimony! I have been "stuck" at my job for a year and a half and I hated it since day 1 but I was desperate for any kind of a job at the time, and now that my fi and I got married, I feel like now is a good time to start looking for something else.

    I am always moody and want nothing to do with being around anyone when I come home because I'm so burned out {i hate this because my hub thinks he's doing something to upset me} I try my best to reassure him that I am just upset of what happened at work, but he just thinks I'm unhappy, in general. It's my job, I hate it, and it makes me irritated. Even on my days off, I want to sit around the house to "recover"

    I love doing photography, art, music, doing makeup, and theatre. and I can't do any of these things working my job.
  • i'm so happy for you!

    i teach English and Film (and i LOVE my job) and when i teach Little Miss Sunshine, i always make a point to discuss the quotation from the movie where Dwayne says, "If I want to fly, I'll find a way to fly.  You do what you love, and f*ck the rest."  i try very hard to instill this into my kids' heads before they leave my class.  most of them are seniors and i want them to know that finding a job they love is SO IMPORTANT.  i feel like too often, we give them the message that work is for survival, but it can be so much more than that!  yay!! 

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