u/beautifullifede

15 year strong career. Last job senior executive. Broke my body with stress, diabetes etc. then had to have a hysterectomy as there were cancer cells. No kids. 35F. Trying to take everything as a sign and pivot into a new career. 0 support from family. I don’t mean financial support, I’ve been supporting everyone. I just wanted someone to understand me. I know they are worried but I’m a citizen, I walked this whole path on my own. Did my masters in German! I have a strong used case that my pivot can be successful.
Finally realised no need to get anyone’s approval. My life is important. Constructed my life around everyone’s expectations. Now I’m trying to do something for myself without feeling guilty but I have my days. I already opened one door and I’m taking one day at time without rushing things. Still love my parents but I wish for them to love me the way I want to be loved.

I’m 35 F. Work as an executive in the corporate world in Germany. Since some years, I just can’t sustain the work environment. I’ve always been good at what I do and that’s why I grew so far. That being said, I have close to 0 interest in working in the same field again. Important context is that I lost all my reproductive organs last year due to a life threatening situation and something shifted significantly in my head too. I’m on antidepressants and sleep meds.
The company I worked for closed down when I went back after sick leave and now I’m here getting calls for interviews but don’t find anything interesting.
I somehow feel it’s the same circus everywhere. Nothing excites me. I almost accepted an offer too and then met someone from the board of that company and felt like there’s something not ok with them.
Anyhow, I have some ideas on what to do next. I’m considering training as ergo therapist or systemic counselling. The German social system allows for retraining and I can get financial support.
I just want to hear some positive stories or changes you all have made. I know I’m just reaching out to a bunch of strangers but that’s because no one except my husband supports this. Some may argue that’s all I need but I’m the strongest financial support for my father and earn more than my husband too.I tried to reason with my family that if I continue like before I may not even make it to my 50s. I already have so many chronic health issues.
If someone is reading this and has any advice or experience to share, you’d be making my day. Thanks!

I’m in Germany and after 10 successful years here, I speak the language so fluently that people think I’m from here. In the last 3-4 years I’ve consistently been burning out after 2 years into a job. I get bored, I feel that the work isn’t stimulating enough and I feel it’s not meaningful.

Now I fall sick and get a pre-cancerous condition and I become obsessed with healthcare. I want to work as a surgical tech or anaesthesia tech and I can learn this fully funded without going into debt.

The place I work at is closing down anyway so I’m on the market and I passed some interviews with flying colors and I have the final round. They are ready to pay six figures. But somehow my mind is fighting me to not go to a field in which I became so sick.

What would you do? Is healthcare as bad as they show it to be with burnout, toxic colleagues etc? My family ain’t supportive of this decision. But I get so excited thinking about anatomy, medication and feel that this field will not be taken over by AI..

If you want to know about life in Germany, visas, education system, social system, taxes, insurance, job market etc. Check out this group and let me know if you’d like to join. If you are in another city, you can let me know and If there are enough people, I’ll do a zoom meet too. I’m here in Germany for 11 years almost and did everything myself from education to citizenship! Check out 🇮🇳☕🇩🇪 CHAI & GERMANY: Pune edition on Meetup https://meetup.com/chai-germany-pune-edition?member\_id=282263717

Anyone around Steglitz area can teach me play? Doesn’t need to be formal or so.

Classic situation. Worked for 15 years in current field, over did it burned out, had all my reproductive organs removed at 33 and struggling to get back in physical shape.
Currently in senior management. Absolutely despise it. Nothing excites me. Have been laying off and restructuring since the Ukraine war (I’m in Europe).
Currently working on my health and getting that in order. It’s my biggest project and guess what, doesn’t care about deadlines or gannt charts. It’s taking a while but it’s given me time to reflect.

I always wanted to work either with machines or within healthcare, especially surgery. Germany has an Ausbildung system and although I won’t earn much, I won’t be in debt. It would involve 3 years study and work and will get a stipend. I even shadowed and spent a day in a hospital.

Somehow though, I’m struggling to make the jump. First of all it’s not just any pivot, it’s a completely different area. I’ll also need to cut corners and take a huge hit financially. That is also playing its part.. but I feel so driven to just give it a chance and see. I got in to the current career as it was the easiest to work in an office and get paid..
Can anyone who made a huge change share their experience? Any advice is welcome!

PS: I’ve also been doing the inner/mental health work with both individual and group therapy. I know I had some issues with boundary setting and getting worried about small stuff but it’s way better now.

Classic situation. Worked for 15 years in current field, over did it burned out, had all my reproductive organs removed at 33 and struggling to get back in physical shape.
Currently in senior management. Absolutely despise it. Nothing excites me. Have been laying off and restructuring since the Ukraine war (I’m in Europe).
Currently working on my health and getting that in order. It’s my biggest project and guess what, doesn’t care about deadlines or gannt charts. It’s taking a while but it’s given me time to reflect.

I always wanted to work either with machines or within healthcare, especially surgery. Germany has an Ausbildung system and although I won’t earn much, I won’t be in debt. It would involve 3 years study and work and will get a stipend. I even shadowed and spent a day in a hospital.

Somehow though, I’m struggling to make the jump. First of all it’s not just any pivot, it’s a completely different area. I’ll also need to cut corners and take a huge hit financially. That is also playing its part.. but I feel so driven to just give it a chance and see. I got in to the current career as it was the easiest to work in an office and get paid..
Can anyone who made a huge change share their experience? Any advice is welcome!

PS: I’ve also been doing the inner/mental health work with both individual and group therapy. I know I had some issues with boundary setting and getting worried about small stuff but it’s way better now..