Careers...

[Kensai]

Hey guys,

I hate my job. I work in an office, it's soul destroying, I'm training in IT, but only do that because it's potentially lucrative, however, I've been interested in all aspects of the MA, and healing for as long as I can remember. I'm really looking at contemplating future possible careers within the whole aspect of MA/healing. I know I could try and get to instructor level in my main arts, learn how to run a small business etc and open a school, I'm not just looking at that, I'm as interested in the healing aspects also, so, without further ado, suggestions please?

Reiki training?
TCM practitioner?
Massuer (sp?) traditional types?
Writer of the arts? (My favourite as I've had prior experience, and have many ideas! )

I'm aware of the difficulties of the above suggestions, for now, I just need ideas, from there, we can go into further detail as to the hows and wheres etc. Pretty different thread I know, but please, help a fellow MAist out before he loses all faith in doing something he likes/wants to in life. :asian:

 

[OUMoose]

I say go with what you want to do. If you describe working in an office as "soul-crushing", I.T. is not the fix. You stated that writing was a passion, then by all means pursue it. Just start small and do it as something you can enjoy. Write an article for MT, maybe send a couple in to some of the bigger MA publications. Take a Reiki class and see if you're really into it, as I'm sure there's some classes running near you.

Remember: Follow your dreams, and you can accomplish anything. I'm living proof... Beefcake... BEEFCAKE!!!

 

[Flying Crane]

If these are interests of yours, then keep pursuing them. Eventually you may be in a position to turn this interest into a career. The best time to explore this is while you still have a job so you can pay the bills on the way.

Sometimes it can take a few years before your interests reach a point where they can become a career. Be patient and keep with it, and take classes and educate yourself about it. Keep you job in the mean time so you don't just rack up a bunch of debt. When the time is right, you can leave you job and your new career will be ready to fly.

I have been learning to work with metals (mainly bronze and silver) for several years. I love it, but wasn't sure how to make a career out of it. Over the years I have developed my skills, and gradually developed some designs that I think have a lot of potential for sales in the right venue(mostly animal-inspired pieces, as well as some custom sword re-building). I am now reaching a point where I am setting the groundwork to make my own business a reality and I hope that within another year or two I will be making some money on this hobby. If it grows enough, I can quite my job (finances/legal), that I hate.

Keep at it and look for ways to make it bloom, but also be patient and be smart about it. Good luck!

 

[Blindside]

I don't know what it is like in the UK, but in the US there are several schools that focus on alternative medical practices, for example Bastyr offers education in accupuncture and traditional oriental medicine:
http://www.bastyr.edu/academic/profiles/default.asp?RPID=4

Alternately you could find a good practitioner and apprentice under him/her, but in todays world I suspect that lacks credibility if you want to do this as a career.

Good luck, if you hate your career then get out!

Lamont

http://www.bastyr.edu/academic/profiles/

 

[MA-Caver]

Nobody should work at a "soul-sucking" job that they hate.

Nuff said.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Reiki training?
TCM practitioner?
Massuer (sp?) traditional types?
Writer of the arts? (My favourite as I've had prior experience, and have many ideas! )

I had a Sifu once tell me do what you love and don't worry about the money it will come.

However in the Western world we do need to worry about money.

If you like writing pursue it but I would keep your current job until you feel you can support yourself.

I am in IT, but I ended up there much the same way a leaf ends up on the shore after it falls into a stream. IT is a nice job, and potentially very lucrative in my areas, but I wouldn't want to make a life out of it. But then I work with people that absolutely love it and if that is their thing that is great.

I am also seriously considering a job change that will take additional education and I will definitely have to keep my job to get there.

As to TCM, doable but a lot of work. My wife is an OMD in TCM and she has students in Europe and possibly England. One of her classmates form Beijing University of TCM is in London. But if you think you will like it then go for it. I suggest reading about these careers and actually going to talk to practitioners of all that you listed to get a feel for them.

I once thought I wanted to be a physical therapist so I went and stood around a PT department for a couple of days (with permission of course) after that I realized it just wasn't for me.

But if you like writing you can always stay in your current job and train for IT and still write articles and submit them to magazines. MT is always looking for articles that may be a good place to start.

Also there will always be someone trying to talk you out of it that is for some reason his or her job. Don't let anyone talk you out of something you truly want to do.

 

[Carol]

Kensai, I have a degree in Music Production and pursued the field professionally. It wasn't the field for me

I am sort of in IT (telecom), and for me the job has been lucrative. It has also meant a lot of crushing layoffs.

Personally I'm in engineering because I love the work with a passion. It's the reason why I put up with oddball hours, overnight work, being on call...as hectic and as crazy as it is, I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world.

That being said, I've stomached out some rough layoffs and am still feeling a bit of the pain because of that...and had to work some "survival jobs" from working hourly rate jobs for other people and grying a hand at my own business. Some of this was enjoyable, some of it wasn't.

There are two things that I can suggest to you:

One is, if you are in a position to get an education, to get as much of a business education as you can possibly manage because you will likely end up in business for yourself, and learning how to run a small business is NOT a simple matter, nor is it trivial.

Doing what you love is a wonderful thing. Not having any cash is a terrible thing. It's an ugly situation when doing what you love makes your life hell. Climbing back in to the work force with a few year break on one's CV is also hell.

If you follow a healing arts/MA track, keep in mind the following:

You may have to do work that you don't like for a very long time...maybe even several years before you can get even an hourly-wage income from doing what you love.

When you do get to the point where you do what you love, it will likely not be at a high standard of living.

To earn a decent standard of living will likely come from you establishing your own business and spending the years cultivating it.

Some of your potential customers are going to be a bit on the snobbish side. They may not want to pay a free spirit that hangs about doing what they want...they instead want someone polished and presentable. Even in the healing arts and martial arts...customers still go for gloss.

Some of the things you don't like about working in an office won't go away when you start in the healing arts and martial arts. You may find many of the same things, just with lower pay, lower perks, and less holiday time.

You sound like a young fellow that doesn't have a lot of work experience (correct me if I am wrong and I mean no insult) I mention this because you MAY find that you like the work more as you grow in to it.

You may also find that as your career grows, you have the potential to enjoy more of the arts, and even set up a practice of your own at your own pace.

However...if you find the work painful to do, then it may not be the best investment to delve further in it.

Some people find that business is a necessary evil at doing what they love to do.

Think about it. Is it impossible to do what you love? Of course not. But there are many different ways to do it, and in a field that is not commercialy lucrative, none of those ways are easy.

Keep asking questions the way you are doing. And think hard about each move you make...whether it is the move to stay on the track you are on, or if it is a move in a new direction

 

[Kensai]

Thanks for the responses guys, was awesome reading through them all. Has cheered me up.

I'm very nearly 30, have had several "jobs", not careers, am ex Royal Navy, saw 5 months service in the 2nd Gulf, was totally disillusioned with that, swore to myself that I'd follow my dreams... Here I am a few years later working in an office for a crap salary, for major stress, hassle and politics. At least working for ones self, although it may be office work, there wouldn't be some prat sitting there sniping and moaning every 5 seconds.

As I say though, I'm really looking for ideas as careers and how to go about approaching them, thanks for the support.

 

[Ian]

Kensai,

Go for what you want to do and try and combine your skills and passions but with a practical eye on the current employment environment would be my take.

I started to tread this path a few years ago as I had been working with in the National Health Sector for 20 years and was becoming disillusioned with the directions it was taking. I have a background in Kenpo and Tai Chi and a lifelong interest in health and healing so decided I would make a career change. Formalising my non-western medical knowledge firstly by training as a Naturopath and then in TCM acupuncture. That was 5 years ago and I now teach Tai Chi and have a small Naturopathic/Acupuncture clinic but in the current UK climate it is difficult (but not impossible) to earn a living from just this.

I still work full time in the NHS and run the clinics evenings and weekends with the aim in the next 5 years to end up with a 50/50 split depending on how things turn out. Not how I had initially planned it but I believe that this way I now have the best of both worlds with a secure income whilst I build up my practice and can make a gradual change. Not just exchanging one set employment problems for another, the grass ain`t greener it is just different grass. Interestingly I also have found that my enthusiasm for my original job has increased as I now choose to be in it because it actually helps and supports my new ventures rather than being a millstone.
Hope this helps and good luck with the journey. I have found seeking the warrior/healer balance very worthwhile.
As to which training to undertake there are many reputable colleges out there in the UK for Naturopathy/Acupuncture/Herbs/Shiatsu/Nutrition/Homeopathy/Chiropractic etc and many of them allow part time study. It is just a matter of funding and finding what draws you. A physical therapy and a physiological therapy works well for me and fits in with the martial arts nicely but other people have equally valid but different experiences.
Happy to help with more info if I can.
Ian

 

[Kensai]

Kensai,

Go for what you want to do and try and combine your skills and passions but with a practical eye on the current employment environment would be my take.

I started to tread this path a few years ago as I had been working with in the National Health Sector for 20 years and was becoming disillusioned with the directions it was taking. I have a background in Kenpo and Tai Chi and a lifelong interest in health and healing so decided I would make a career change. Formalising my non-western medical knowledge firstly by training as a Naturopath and then in TCM acupuncture. That was 5 years ago and I now teach Tai Chi and have a small Naturopathic/Acupuncture clinic but in the current UK climate it is difficult (but not impossible) to earn a living from just this.

I still work full time in the NHS and run the clinics evenings and weekends with the aim in the next 5 years to end up with a 50/50 split depending on how things turn out. Not how I had initially planned it but I believe that this way I now have the best of both worlds with a secure income whilst I build up my practice and can make a gradual change. Not just exchanging one set employment problems for another, the grass ain`t greener it is just different grass. Interestingly I also have found that my enthusiasm for my original job has increased as I now choose to be in it because it actually helps and supports my new ventures rather than being a millstone.
Hope this helps and good luck with the journey. I have found seeking the warrior/healer balance very worthwhile.
As to which training to undertake there are many reputable colleges out there in the UK for Naturopathy/Acupuncture/Herbs/Shiatsu/Nutrition/Homeopathy/Chiropractic etc and many of them allow part time study. It is just a matter of funding and finding what draws you. A physical therapy and a physiological therapy works well for me and fits in with the martial arts nicely but other people have equally valid but different experiences.
Happy to help with more info if I can.
Ian

Can I just say mate, that as first posts go, that was an absolute corker. Thank-you very much, sincerely. I like the "warrior/healer" analogy too... Very apt. Rep points all round methinks.

 

[Jenna]

Hey guys,

I hate my job. I work in an office, it's soul destroying, I'm training in IT, but only do that because it's potentially lucrative, however, I've been interested in all aspects of the MA, and healing for as long as I can remember. I'm really looking at contemplating future possible careers within the whole aspect of MA/healing. I know I could try and get to instructor level in my main arts, learn how to run a small business etc and open a school, I'm not just looking at that, I'm as interested in the healing aspects also, so, without further ado, suggestions please?

Reiki training?
TCM practitioner?
Massuer (sp?) traditional types?
Writer of the arts? (My favourite as I've had prior experience, and have many ideas! )

I'm aware of the difficulties of the above suggestions, for now, I just need ideas, from there, we can go into further detail as to the hows and wheres etc. Pretty different thread I know, but please, help a fellow MAist out before he loses all faith in doing something he likes/wants to in life. :asian:

Hey J my friend well not surprising I would not have any big clever advice for you but hey I really feel for you here and I have had friends in just your position and one thing that struck me out of everything else was that the only way to be truly happy in your work was to follow your heart.. and that might sound contrite but from what you have written I can tell straightaway you will be the occupational nomad until you get doing what makes you happy.. you go for it because you deserve it.. and stay out of IT I hear SO much bout the pressures of deadlines from pals who are are little code monkeys tappety tapping little lines of VB or whatever on their little keyboards, ha!! No my friend I suspect you have other aspirations but do not follow the money it is the wrong way to go.. but hey do not listen to me I am a lowly little mechanic (who fixes DAMN hot Ferraris), ha!

ahh but doing all these here lovely things as a career freom Reiki to writing you will have to give serious thought to moving down here near me to the big smoke!! unless you are from the fancy side of Wolverhampton I never got to Nah, just joking wid ya!!

Anyways I got some little wishes I am sending up to you.. I hope they are of some use..

Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna

 

[Xue Sheng]

but hey do not listen to me I am a lowly little mechanic (who fixes DAMN hot Ferraris), ha!

Hey, watch the lowly little mechanic stuff, I use to be one and all I got to do was fix Jeeps and Volkswagens in DAMN!! hot weather.

 

[Kensai]

Hey J my friend well not surprising I would not have any big clever advice for you but hey I really feel for you here and I have had friends in just your position and one thing that struck me out of everything else was that the only way to be truly happy in your work was to follow your heart.. and that might sound contrite but from what you have written I can tell straightaway you will be the occupational nomad until you get doing what makes you happy.. you go for it because you deserve it.. and stay out of IT I hear SO much bout the pressures of deadlines from pals who are are little code monkeys tappety tapping little lines of VB or whatever on their little keyboards, ha!! No my friend I suspect you have other aspirations but do not follow the money it is the wrong way to go.. but hey do not listen to me I am a lowly little mechanic (who fixes DAMN hot Ferraris), ha!

ahh but doing all these here lovely things as a career freom Reiki to writing you will have to give serious thought to moving down here near me to the big smoke!! unless you are from the fancy side of Wolverhampton I never got to Nah, just joking wid ya!!

Anyways I got some little wishes I am sending up to you.. I hope they are of some use..

Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna

That's perhaps the most astute thing anyone's said to me in recent years in terms of jobs. Thanks hun. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling when I hear of others being able to put into words what I are thinking. :asian: Bought a smile to my grizzled, nearly 30 year old face.