Career Rewrite: Go Ahead—Start Again.

Kid, go to school, slave away for fifty years—and when you retire you might get a little time off at Lake Tahoe or a stroke, whichever comes first. Hate Mondays? Shrug, that’s normal. Changing jobs at the age of 30, 40, or 50? Totally crazy! What will the neighbors say?

No idea—I didn’t ask them; instead, at the age of 35, I took on something completely new.

For the past 15 years, I’ve been doing “something with media.” Journalism, marketing, public relations, photography, freelance copywriting. And anyone who knows me knows that this career wasn’t exactly a straight path either. At the ago of 27, after a solo trip lasting several months, I founded my own business to switch from a 9-to-5 office job to remote work. That was eight years ago. And now? Now I’m heading out into nature. Maybe. Who knows. But exactly one year ago, I decided to train as a wilderness educator—and now I hold the certificate in my hands, and with it, an opportunity.

I don’t want to stand here and shout, “Anything is possible!” Because it isn’t for everybody. No matter how hard I try, I’ll never become a physics professor; other people can’t (or can no longer) do physically demanding jobs because of health issues. But that’s not the point. “Start again!” doesn’t mean accomplishing the impossible—it means allowing yourself to believe that there’s more out there than the Monday you hate. That in your early twenties, after finishing your training and studies, your life isn’t set in stone. That you’re allowed to make a change—before you have a stroke.

Wilderness- what? Are you sitting in a circle in the woods singing? A question that, thankfully, no one has asked me yet, but one that’s surely buzzing through the minds of some people. Dude, isn’t she in her mid-thirties? Didn’t she study journalism? What’s she doing now with this wilderness education stuff? 

Those are the questions of other people. My own questions, which have been getting louder and louder for some time now, are: Do I actually still enjoy my current job? Why do I still have a desk job staring at a screen, even though I’ve been drawn further and further outdoors for years now? Does this job even have a future anymore, given the development of AI? What am I actually interested in these days?  

The fact is, most of us change over the years. At least, that’s what I hope, even if some jerks seem destined to remain dim-witted twelve-year-olds forever—but that’s another topic. We experience things—both good and bad. Something that changes our values, interests, and priorities, as well as our self-worth. While in my twenties it had been my dream to have journalistic assignments on music festivals, major events, and in big cities, today I really enjoy the peace and quiet of my house in the countryside, where my pear tree will hopefully soon be big enough that I can no longer see the street. While just a few years ago I was proudly churning out marketing and advertising copy to promote all kinds of products, these days I find myself thinking more and more often that we should consume less rather than more. I used to think it was cool to sit in a vacation rental with my laptop, working remotely, but now I prefer to keep work and travel separate. None of this is a bad thing. It’s life. Change. But it means I have to take action—or risk becoming unhappy, frustrated and dull.

What I can already say after completing my new training: It was a great choice and transformed a lot of things in me. Doors opened, and ideas started flowing. And no, not every training or continuing education program means you have to quit your current job and live on love alone. My wilderness education course consisted of seven in-person sessions, each lasting four days over the course of nine months. Plus time for homework. It’s designed specifically for people who want to build something new alongside their career—or who simply want a change.

A change doesn’t always have to be radical. Maybe starting with a reduction in weekly hours, a four-day workweek, continuing education in the same field, night school, a sabbatical, or volunteer work on weekends is enough to see what else is out there. Because there’s a lot out there—we just often don’t dare to try. How will that work out financially? I have obligations! My family won’t go along with that! Only other people can afford that! Many things are actually a matter of priority. If I always put myself last, then I end up… exactly, at the very end of the line. 

So find people you know will support you. Don’t focus on who isn’t making it—focus on who is. Failing is an option. Only those who take risks learn. Only those who learn can bring about change. You can do this. This is for you. Because it’s your life.

Yes, it sometimes takes an incredible amount of courage—and usually money, too. Go Ahead—Start Again. That’s where the unknown lurks. Stepping out of your comfort zone. Risks we can’t calculate even with the most basic math. But then—how many times have we done this already? Someone getting married for the first time doesn’t know what will happen. Someone becoming a parent for the first time has no prior experience. When you move out on your own for the first time, sign a lease, get behind the wheel at driving school, walk into first grade with your school bag under your arm, get on a bike for the first time, take your first steps—each time, we’ve done something “new.” Sometimes it worked out, sometimes it was painful. The trick is not to get bogged down in overthinking everything that could happen, but to take action and find out for yourself.  

What if, in the end, I don’t do anything great with my new education? What if it goes wrong? Even then, it’s still an experience I’d never want to miss. Because it’s made me a wiser, calmer person who no longer wonders “what if.” Knowing what you don’t want is knowledge, too. And figuring that out before the end of your life is almost a goddamn duty. 
And anyway: What if it works?

If you’d like, you can follow my stories, thoughts and outdoor adventures daily on Instagram: @squirrel.sarah.

Find more inspiration here:

• Because I’m worth it – Why it’s Time to stop putting up with Things
• One Night in a Leaf-Shelter in the Woods: What it can teach us
• 675,000 Hours - How a fulfilled Life slows down your time
• Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda—Five things we need to start doing right now!