Annie I was in much the same position of having no recent skills I thought marketable! Don't sell yourself short! You have been a guide, teacher diplomt financial manager,counsellor etcetc etc... I started doing in home care for elderly people (to help me understand aussie english and get a bit of $$ in school hours). Turned out that I loved it - Ive gone on to TAFE to study leisure and lifestyle cert and have enjoyed every minute. Unfortunately my health has gone downhill in the last few months and I have to now find something else- it is driving me nuts. I have no idea where to go from here. I'studying finacial services in the meantime but I don't know if I will enjoy it... Im at the stage of thinking 'Ill do anything I can if it can bring in some $$'...
You may find that the things you like in your voluntary work is the best guide as to what you can do and want to do:tup:

I'm lucky enough to be a very much part time work at home mum. A couple of years ago, I bought my sister's old digital SLR off her when she upgraded, and now when I have the time or inclination, I take a few photos, and upload them to a stock photography site I'm a member of. When someone likes my photos and downloads them, I get a percentage of the profit. It's perfect for my lifestyle. I only have to work when the mood takes me, and even if I don't upload any new photos in a month, I still make money! Perfect! Only problem is, I don't have enough time to really make a go of it. My sister is making enough that her DH could quit work if he wanted, and she could easily support them both more than comfortably, so I know it can be done, I just need to actually do it, LOL.

DH works in a very stressful job, where the politics drives him mad. He hates it, and would love to leave, but with building a new home, it just isn't an option right now. Hopefully in a few years time.

I was a cleaner and a darn good one too Certificates and all for the work. Gave up the job when I was burnt out and have been treated for depression for the last 5 years.

I did 2 years of IT work and enjoyed this very much.

Now I am my hubby's carer and I am happy with my life, as I see this job as the most important and challenging one yet.

I take 1 days at a time, sleepless nights and just this week he was in hospital over night.

My garden is a release and my animals are my little slice of heaven.

Lucky1 -Sorry to hear about your hubby. Hope things go better soon.
You sound contented with your job(s) - Could I use your "My garden is a release and my animals are my little slice of heaven" too please? It makes my heart feel warm and fuzzy:hug:

Interesting point you made Nev about the three careers and then time to do something eco-friendly. You've pretty much summed up my working life.

When I was at school, all I wanted to do was join the air force and work in radar operations. I couldn't do that, I was too short (had to be 5' 3" in those days). So I went to work in a bank and trained as a secretary. Stayed in that career for a number of years and after working for the MD of a company for 5 years and feeling a bit burned out, did a complete turn around and went into computer programming. Many years of that and I changed again, this time into project management. That was fun, spending millions of dollars of other people's money But it was also very tiring.

Now I don't work (well not in a paid sense, anyway). We are extremely fortunate to be in the position where I don't have to; and for that I'm so very, very grateful.

My 'job' now I guess is home-maker and farm-hand; I thought initially I'd be bored out of my skull not going to work, but I can honestly say that I haven't missed it one iota. In fact, I don't know how I ever found the time to go to work

I'm also very grateful to all those of you who continue to work in whatever field you do because I still need to buy groceries; clothing; stock feed; petrol; gas; electricity; etc. Still need doctors, nurses, dentists etc. (although, Herbman I haven't needed a lawyer yet ) If all of you gave up work too, it would make life pretty difficult.

to you all. Give yourselves a pat on the back.

Thanks Kiewiet:hug: With Hubby it'll never get better. He lost 44% of his lungs through wielding and the rest is full of asthma from work as well.

But after 10 years we have gotten used to it. He hasn't been working now for nearly 3 years.

You are most welcome to use the quote It's how I feel and it keeps me sane

I love my job, i work as a farmhand and it gets me outside. Have met some great people and never get sick of seeing the way seeing how the day turns out. Its amazing to see how the weather and surroundings can change in an instant, no two days are the same. Somehow I think that I am a whole lot healthier because of it, as I am not stuck in inside all day. I don't even mind working in the rain, wind and frost.

I have tried all my working life to meet my basic desire to ensure all people are represented and treated with equity. This has manifested as helping peolple with HIV/AIDS to stay at home for as long as possible, fighting for equal rights for gay, lesbian and transgender people, and campaining against genetic modification and nuclear power.

Mostly I found it heart breaking work with little thanks, bugger all remuneration and usually no effect. Being a social cruisader can be soul destroying and I just couldnt take it anymore.

After a short break I fell into corrections. I really hate most of my clients and have to admit I am scared silly by some of them. I cant identify with my job, but I only have to work about four months of the year and get a nice pay packet.

I sometimes get success but mostly console myself with the thought that I am protecting the community.

ShellBell - You are one of my heroes fighting for GLBT rights!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart

Ooh -corrections. I was offered a job there about 18 months ago. Am kinda glad I didn't take it having heard what others have to say. I too would be afraid of many of your offenders (Refuses to use politically correct term "clients").

You'll make it !!! You will !

I find it ridiculously ironic that the job I have just started feels to me like it's at the polar opposite end of where my personal values lie right now.
Selling petrol and encouraging consumerism - honestly not at all where I thought I would end up!
But you do what you have to do to fund the lifestyle you want to live, right??

I don't know. It doesn't sit right with me but we need to pay the mortgage. So there it is.

The home business hasn't been going so well due to what I now think has been some depression (and hence avoidance) on my behalf over the last few months. And DH isn't supportive of it which means it's even harder to acheive in that way.

Having said that - I'm still going to keep going with it for as long as I can because THAT"S something that I am passionate about.

Ali, I've been in the situation where I've been selling stuff I didn't want to. I sold cosmetics for about 8 months. It's SOOO not me End result was I found another job which suited me better (and where I could feel a bit better about going to work) and now I know a lot more about cosmetics - and never wear them. Although at least I can put on makeup well if I ever needed to

Sometimes work is just a means to an end and I think as long as you can keep your sanity in it then that's OK. As Lady B says, we still need to buy fuel, even if we should all be using less of it. Perhaps you can do a little to make your place of work a little greener. It's a bit subversive, but it's fun

Politics at work, I'm so glad I'm out of it. Someone once said 'Business is just about the only human activity where members of the same team try to trip one another up'.

I know how you feel Ali, I worked in retail for years selling handbags of all things!!
It got to the point were I wanted to say to the customers,'Go do something useful with your money and stop wasting it on useless tat."
I knew then that I had to get out while I was still capable of leaving with a good reference and my sanity intact.
Owning multiple handbags is NOT a neccessity but putting fuel in your car (unfortunately) is, so don't feel so bad.
I now work for a newspaper stuffing loads of junk mail inside your daily paper each week to encourage people to buy crap.
BUT I really like my job!!
It is absolutely no stress, pays extremely well and if people choose to buy junk then I can't stop that.
There is one advantage and that is that we have a suggestion box where we can put ideas in for reducing our environmental impact.
So far all the lights have been changed to CF globes and some globes have been removed completely as they were deemed not necessary.
All, paper, plastic and cardboard is recycled and I did suggest that all the management get hybrid cars for their company cars.
You never know it might happen.

I hear you !!!!! :@ :@ :@

My daughter has a saying 'it's a job Mumma, not a lifestyle' and my response is 'physiotherapy is part of who I am'.

When I stop feeling like this, when going to work starts to separate from the truth of who I am in my day to day life, I'll resign and start selling my fruit and vegetables to people who appreciate organic, flavoursome produce.

It is very important to me to have a goal beyond the goal. Throw your hat on the other side of the fence.

It's good to be back with Aussies living Simply.

Ren