It's a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it.

I've been contemplating changing jobs recently, for a few reasons.

First, I have been at the same job for about six years now, and it has become a little monotonous, to say the least. I feel challenged in all the wrong ways--as in, it's a challenge to put my best foot forward. It's a challenge to not tell a particular co-worker how big of a d-bag he is on an hourly basis. It's a challenge to not bring home all my stress and frustration and take it out on the people I like.

Second, I have the advantage of not having a lot of daily stress in my personal life (i.e. kids). Bob has said that if I want to change jobs, now's the time to do it, and I suppose I agree. Obviously I would secure a job first before quitting my current one, but the idea of such a big change makes me anxious regardless. The older I get, the more resistant I am to change in my routine and change in my life. But I need to make a change, or I will become a miserable settler. No one wins with that.

Third, I'm not positive that mental health is my life's calling. And even if it turns out it actually is, I'm not sure that working with adults is where I want to stay. I've never really had a "serious" job that dealt much with children or adolescents...what would that be like? I would love to have a job where I didn't have to really think all that much or use any of my vocational skills whatsoever for maybe just a few months. But I would eventually rejoin a level of job that matches my educational resume a little better. But I think that few months' break would be awesome. Kind of like a vacation away from real responsibility.

I've been contemplating a change of jobs for a little while now, maybe a few weeks, and funnily enough I have yet to even look on a job website. I think that would signal real movement towards something new taking place, and I'm still a little apprehensive. However, I do read the job classifieds in the newspaper every Wednesday, and let me just say: the pickings are slim.

Soapbox moment, brought to you in part by Bob:
No matter how insignificant you feel the work you're doing is, you're still an active, contributing member of society and therefore you are valuable in some way.