I've been feeling like life has been passing me by lately. I started to feel this way when I realized I'm the only one in my group of friends who is working towards a Ph.D. While everyone else is moving on with their life (jobs, marriage, buying a house, having babies), I feel like I'm standing still. I feel like I'm being restricted by the choices I've made in addition to holding my husband back from his own career aspirations. There are just no job opportunities in his field where we live.
Will it be worth it in the end?
What am I really gaining by earning a Ph.D.?
Why can't I just be happy with the path I've chosen and be proud of all my accomplishments?
WHAT IF I'VE MADE A MISTAKE?
Your decisions are preparing you for a difficult field with a good pay. Even if, someday, you change careers entirely, you'll not only have shown the world that you are capable of earning a Ph.D., but you will also have made at least some difference in this world. In the end, you should be happy with your decisions and not compare yourself with others. You are on a different path of life than they are. You are still young; we will have plenty of time to catch-up! If you doubt yourself, try this prayer:
ReplyDeleteGod, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.