Choosing quality of life over career?
Posted by Downtown-Storm4704@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 8 comments
Keen to hear from people who have moved to a high quality of life country in their 30s or 40s (Greece, Spain, Italy), are doing something unrelated to their studies but content with living and enjoying the moment, maybe you're working in ESL.
How do you know when to prioritize career growth, what about being in your late 30s and enjoying the lifestyle but feeling a bit lost, savings and progression. They say it's never too late but when is the "best" time to prioritize your career? Is it too late by the time you reach 40 in terms of earning potential?
CuriousTrain9018@reddit
Now that I‘m a parent, I’d say go for career, travel, self-development and stuff while you are childless. The moment you get a kid, priorities change so much, your life turns 180 degrees and the last thing you want to do is regret all those cool independent things you wish you’d done earlier or would be doing at that moment. I’m so grateful to myself for sticking to my soul calling having traveled to 28 and lived in 5 countries before I had a baby. Had I not done that, I’m sure I would be constantly wanting to travel, experience different cultures and the whole parenting thing would be a total misery.
don’t know if that helps but its my take on it.
Downtown-Storm4704@reddit (OP)
It does it's just that i'm definitely developing in every single way apart from my career, which has taken a backseat.
I'm not sure if I should be doing more professionally or just living my best life teaching English as second language and traveling. I don't want to do what i'm doing now for the rest of my life. I can't really progress in my career while I live abroad as the job market sucks.
CuriousTrain9018@reddit
Oh tell me about that. I’m based in Spain and I’m in ELT which I’ve made my career over the past 15 years. I don’t know how things are on that front in Asia or other parts of the world but in Spain English teaching has totally turned into a low grade kind of job which pays less and less every year while the cost of living is going higher and higher. So not recommended.
Downtown-Storm4704@reddit (OP)
Me too, in Spain.
Exactly what you've just mentioned. The salaries are so low to progress, you need to save more each year and expectations are high but the salaries never increase as there's never a shortage of teachers willing to accept low wages so nothing ever changes.
SWJenks@reddit
This is different for everyone. For me, after about 12 years driving an hour each way to the corporate gig only to come home to a house that was too big, packed with s*** I didn’t need or want, all because I was told “that’s what you do” and it’s “the American dream” was enough for me to have an early(ish) mid-life crisis. Sold everything I had, started working as a part-time freelancer, and moved abroad. It’s been 2.5 years now and while nothing is perfect and living abroad definitely has its challenges, I could never go back. There’s a quote I often use (but not positive where it originated) that says, “I can always make more money, I can never make more time.”
But again, what may be a dream life for one may be a nightmare for another. Figure out what YOU think it means to be rich and your answers will come.
Babysfirstbazooka@reddit
The older I get the more I am doing this. I can barely stand having a ‘boss’ now and I’m only 44
majandra22@reddit
I haven’t done it yet but plan to move abroad within the next year (once fully vested). I have experience in several fields that I could do for freelance/remote work but recently signed up for a fitness-related certification and realized I might actually choose to pursue making (at least some) money that way.
After being at a computer for nearly 10 years, shifting to a more active career right as I enter my 40s sounds like a great plan and I expect I’ll be able to build up a good business if I choose. I’ll also have rental income and may teach English (I have the degree and certifications to support it), but I definitely want to shift away from computer work even if that means a lower income.
whenilookinthemirror@reddit
Many people have started or changed careers later in life the 40's. I do think the older you get it is good to hone in on an area you can see yourself living until you retire and to balance out making money and enjoying your location, they can coexist. Financially speaking I recommend talking to a retirement planner, never too early or too late nor too little or too much for that.