I'm in the enviable position, for some, of being in a recession proof profession. There's always kids to educate. Here in Australia a teaching wage is quite good, though we are underpaid in proportion to the work we do. But no amount of money can persuade me to go back to the job I quit last December - teacher burn out is real, and I have never regained my mojo. A combination of exhaustion, disillusionment with the education system, and anxiety forced me to quit, and I couldn't think of anything worse than going back. I'd rather tighten the purse strings and have less money.
I'm very aware that for some, it's not a choice. People have kids to feed, mortgages to pay, debts to wear away at - and the dream of a fat retirement pension. Here in Australia we have superannuation, where an amount is taken from our wages to save for retirement and which sits in a fund which goes up and down with the economic climate. One if the questions people asked when I quit is whether I had ENOUGH to retire. As a woman, no. Woman traditionally have earnt less due to staying home to care for kids, and my sister and I agreed that if our darling husbands left us we would be one of the increasing numbers of old homeless woman on the streets.
The only way I could leave my job and stop being miserable is if my husband kept working. If we budgeted a bit better and didn't enjoy meals out or the thought of overseas trips, I wouldn't have to work at all, but luckily enough I can do emergency teaching at his school for a great daily wage. I can only handle around three days though before getting anxious and miserable, and there's weeks with no work at all. Still, I think I've saved myself an early death and am far happier for it.
There's a lot of people making similiar decisions about their work since COVID. Less money, we have learnt, is more important than being miserable. But again, if you are educated in the right field or work in an in demand profession here, it's not as scary to quit as you can go back to a similiar wage if things get tough financially.
Thing is, the future isn't assured. I could work and save and die tomorrow, or the world financial system could collapse entirely. By working my ass off how I did I was missing out on family and doing things I really loved, or even found worthy, like community food resilience.
Yes, we aren't as well off, and we will struggle when we do retire officially at 67, but to me it wasn't worth being miserable. And we can always sell our property and downsize or live in a caravan if that's what it came to. We are lucky to have options and we don't care about being rich financially.
My unpaid work is far more inspiring and worthy to me. I'll find a way to monetise it in small ways like mushroom growing workshops but to me there's more currency in people and community skills that will see us through. And let's all hope for a crypto moon in a few years, right? But we have faith in the universe.
And none of us can take it with us when we die.
Written in response to the Weekend Community question about whether you rather work in a job you totally hate but pays you well or work in a job you love and find inspiring but the pay was low and you had to strictly budget your financial matters.
Working for the money to live a better life, when there's a different option, seems counter-productive to life itself. Sure, we need things, and life can be expensive these days, but there's only one of it (life) and I believe it should be lived as best as one can, in whatever way one feels is the best. With that in mind, I agree with what you say.
I'd rather budget a little harder, go without some luxuries, in exchange for a life commensurate to that which I desire. I'm more about experiences, about wanting to look back and feel I've filled my life with valued experiences, as it's those I'll remember over material things.
Thanks for entering this week and for a great post.
Oh honey 100 percent. Let's fill our lives with beautiful experiences and love, and not worry so much about money x
Was this the weekend engagement prompt? I like the way you extended the weekend until Monday and I like the way that Galenkp and his crews are nice about it.
I also like the way you monetize mushrooms. If you like something then BOOM it brands itself.
Every job that offered to pay double has required four times more work and commitment. Even if I had double of four times the money it's kind of stupid to pile up material in this world that I can't keep. I always have enough for everything I need and that's enough. My wife helps the kids and helps others. She is not interested in money at all. She believes that if she needs it then God will send her money. She is cool like that. The funny thing is she is not joking. That's how she lives.
I am always inspired by people who have that relationship with money!!!
I'm pretty sure the WE goes til Monday 5 pm AEST otherwise @galenkp would growl at me. I could be wrong though and maybe he is just in a good mood 😉
Yep, Monday 6pm Adelaide time, (UTC 08:30 Monday morning), so you were well within the time frame. 😁
Lol re: Growl comment.
You're a big scary bear
Haha!
I don't dance that well though.
More commensurate to my badness, but still not bad enough.
This is good news. I will try to catch up with Weekend engagement next week even if it is Monday Korean time. I'm so busy Saturday and Sunday but weekday afternoon when all classes are over I want to reflect.
It looks like Seoul is only 30 minutes behind Adelaide time so yep, you've got until 17:30 your time to get something in. I usually do the wrap up post by 18:15 but that leaves you most of Monday to get something in. 😊
!LUV
@mineopoly(1/5) gave you LUV.
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For sure!
I'm glad you are feeling better, it's not worth it if it's affecting your health!
This post has been manually curated by the VYB curation project 🙌 Keep up the great work!
Number one regret of the dying - I wish I hadn't spent so much time working
It's so true, of you can manage with less and enjoy life then do it
I wish the hubs would stop spending our spare cash on Landrovers though...
I agree with you on every front. Your health and well being is more important than a high pay check. In the end, being happy with our lives and what we do, is worth a million times more than money. I'm glad that it all worked out for you and that you're enjoying life!
Sometimes it takes a while for it to lime up so you feel confident enough to do it.. so glad I did and thanks for popping by gorgeous x
I grew up in a community that put the first above the other, they ended up becoming miserable, I don’t want to become miserable like them, the later might not come with luxury but I won’t be miserable.
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I also want to do work according to my passion. It's been 3 years I resigned from my job which has a very sufficient salary to live. For me, it's very difficult to accept a work system that doesn't want to accept suggestions from subordinates and it puts me under pressure which makes my salary pay more to show my stress.
I believe that fortune does not only come from money, but if it is always maintained, then there will be no more health money and life will be much calmer.
This did it for me. Absofuckinlutely! The future isn't set in stone, death is a mysterious inevitable phenomena that can come at anytime, so live your best life while you still can and be Happy!
Also, never heard of "teacher burn" before, is it that bad?
Teacher burn out... Yes. It's a really, really demanding job, and sometimes teachers just break 💔
Oh damn, that's rough. Well at least, now you're free!!!
Yes… money doesn’t always make one happy. Health, family and feeling better in general is worth so much more. I soooo understand. 😁😎
Enjoy life… to the fullest. Be happy 🥰
we definitely need to pay the bills, so there's always some worry - but i'm glad we have shuffled things around a bit to have a better life. now we just need to figure out how to get my hubs to quit work too!
Of course and that worry will remain for paying the bills.
Yes, would be nice if you guys find a way for him too 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 Crossing my fingers 😊
This was exactly what I was thinking reading through your post. We MUST stop thinking in Dollars exclusively. A friendly smile or a minute of listening is it's own currency. So are the mushrooms you grew, or even a starter kit, or simply the instructions to build your own. When thinking about the 1930's type depression, where a lack of circulated money causes the entire economy to halt, I always remember post war economies based on cigarettes and the collective resourcefulness of the community. So it doesn't have to depressing at all. In fact, it could be quite liberating. (But what do I know? This is just my own reasoning.)
I agree with you - it's liberating! And there's a guy and his wife in town about to open a community shed we'll all use for this alternative community currency, only problem is he's an ideas man, and doesn't always have the practicality to put it in action. Hopefully many hands will take on different aspects of what needs to bring this into reality!
Yeah, it sounds you and your community are pretty advanced in this regard! Props to you! I'm sure other will have something to learn from you. And the problem seems more like a blessing in disguise. It offers the wonderful need for someone who organize his ideas according to practical feasibility, cost-service ratio, and time to implement them. Then comes the challenge of putting them into practice. It doesn't matter if some things don't work right away. If there is a need, it will be met eventually.
Definitely! And it takes all types to execute a good plan. I'm so thankful they are around. Also, the fact they are hippies with what I think is a trust fund or something like it, helps!
Nice! I love hippies with a trust fund, especially if they are good people! Also helps.
This all sounds so familiar. I work 1 day per week less so I dont get too angry with everything which turned out to be a decent tactic. A while back even my mom asked me 'if hubby would decide to leave, could you get by then, or would you have to go back to working fulltime'
and the funny things is..I said, even I would go back working fulltime I would still have issues getting by. Living alone with all bills, food, electricity with a normal job is just already really difficult I must admit. And indeed...luckily we are in the position to debate a bit about this. Before this back in the caribbean we were both working 6 days per week, that is a different ballgame
Isn't that crazy - and your job is hard too, poor teachers and nurses!!!! I imagine being in the Caribbean would be quite different.
Let's hope our partners never leave us - money over love, every time ahahahahah joking...
I think you already know how much I agree with you @riverflows! And I am sooo happy for you!
We are on the same side and although there is a price to pay, I am sure it is worth paying it. At least for as long as we can! Nothing is for granted! Except one thing, present time is all we have. I am thrilled every time I hear the beautiful path that you follow and every time I hear that this happens to someone! Gives me power, real power!
I can't even say the word "miserable", haha :)) Enjoy your path even though it is not always easy.
You can't say the word miserable because it makes you miserable or is it your accent? Cute!
Thanks for your lovely, effervescent comment and I hope this day finds you smiling!!!!!
Mitherable, mijerable... impossible to say it :))
Love!
(wo)man, can I relate to this and I already quit, totally burnt out at the age of 34. I for sure do understand you.
Big hug!
Some people don't get it. They are energized by teaching! But for hypersensitive empaths ... Aaaaagh.
You get it! Raptor ROARRRRR!!!!
And a good choice you made too! Quality of life trumps....
I’m glad you were in a position to be able to quit your job and are feeling much better.
Good for you doing what you want to do to be happy. The more money we make the more we spend. Tightening the budget so that you can work part-time and have the hours in the day to yourself is priceless. It's a good feeling knowing that you don't have to jump on the wheel every day. Some people wonder what they will do when they retire so they keep working because they have very little else. Developing other interests and hobbies when you are young is the key to retiring with a game plan.
Without one's health, all of the money in the world really doesn't matter.
I used to teach in QLD in some "challenging" schools. SUCH a hard job. and SO MUCH take home work that you don't get paid for..
I quit that though years ago and moved to nursing... not that THAT has been much better in Australia of late...
Enjoy being happy where you can i guess. Nature is such a wonderful place.
Sarah