I was made redundant a couple of years ago from a very stressful job. I decided that I was not going to find another job as problems with my back and issues with depression meant I was very limited in what I could do. I've never been happier. I look after my grandchildren for 2 or 3 days a week and in return Firstborn covers the cost of my car. The rest of my time is spent in the garden which helps keep me mobile and sane. It's suprising what you can manage without when you have to.
I was thinking much the same thing today out in the garden--a chance to stop and actually listen and feel. I could hear the birds and feel the breeze. I felt relaxed for the first time in weeks and weeks. Tanking up these few days of holiday in preparation for the stress ahead.
What I do, having no confidence that I'd be any less stressed if gardening was a job as opposed to my existing job, is to dream. I plan out garden ideas and plant combinations and read and read. Lucky enough to have had several very different gardens in my time and to have had lots of opportunity to 'fail forwards' with plants. My one firm plan for retirement is to make the best garden that I can--wherever I end up--with whatever time and health I have left.
luvmegarden, can you combine things? get your troubled kids out there digging and learning? Even seeds and a patch of waste ground could change their minds.
And I want to take a moment to say how brilliant nurserypeople are: so generous with their time and advice. I am a single parent with a full time job and a health problem which keeps me isolated-- gardening gives me a community of great and interesting people. I have lost count of the number of unanticipated kind deeds from plantspeople even outside the UK.
My sister has just retired from the NHS at 55 after the job ,especially being 'on call',was just getting too much.
She has always done gardening for a couple of people in her area and is now hoping to start a smallholding on her land growing veg etc. and is really looking forward to it.
My daughter does a bit of gardening for a friend who has a very large garden.She lives in a small flat with no garden and has a stressful job as a Nursing Home carer.She is also studying for 4 GCSE's as well.She finds that when she is gardening she can switch off and just do the job at hand.It is physically demanding but finds it relaxing at the same time.
I also love my small garden.I suffer from severe tinnitus as well as being deaf and the garden is really the only place I can really find a sense of calm.
My Mum at 82 still loves to potter in her garden and says she would go crackers if she had to give it up.
I really don't know what any of us would do if we had no garden to enjoy and we are all thankful that we have gardens to enjoy when others have so little.
“Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
I personally think working in someone else garden isn't quite the same as working in my own garden. I dont think you can beat working in your own garden.
Luvmegarden, sit down with a calculator and work out how much you need to eat and pay the bills and take it from there. Fantastic suggestions above and life is too short to continue as you are. Good luck
Luvmegarden, just do it. I have, best thing I ever did or will do. In your first year you may not make much, I didn't, got into to debt but went and saw the bank manager, very understanding and backed me all the way. Still don't make a fortune but enough and I'm happy. That beats money any day of the week. Getting up in the morning and looking forward to going to work. How many people can say that. I work solely by recommendation and I'm busier than ever.
Luvemegarden, I think we all need a little me time and some jobs and even home life situations mean we need a little down time ourselves,,
Gardeners are not well paid, a lot of time its a labour of love, I have had a share in a gardening business about 10 years ago, its hard work and when I think of all the pain of trying to reclaim gardens neglected for years.. I'm glad I only do my own garden these days...
But the very best of luck if you are really intent on a career change..
Supposing you get a gardening job and then volunteer (elsewhere) as well if you then feel you wish to keep helping others? I mean, what is keeping you in your current job? Is it the practical side of things, or is it the feeling you "ought" to be helping others? You have already helped them a lot, by the sound of it, and it's a very tough and draining thing to do. I'm wondering if you might actually be burnt out also from the "helping others" aspect of your job, not just from the stress of the job, so taking a break from that might be a good thing to do. But of course I have no idea if that's really the case, only you know.
Couldn't agree more. I live in hope that one day I'll have the guts to do the same. After a 16 hour day today I feel pretty close! I dream of waking up and looking forwards to work.
Posts
I was made redundant a couple of years ago from a very stressful job. I decided that I was not going to find another job as problems with my back and issues with depression meant I was very limited in what I could do. I've never been happier. I look after my grandchildren for 2 or 3 days a week and in return Firstborn covers the cost of my car. The rest of my time is spent in the garden which helps keep me mobile and sane. It's suprising what you can manage without when you have to.
I was thinking much the same thing today out in the garden--a chance to stop and actually listen and feel. I could hear the birds and feel the breeze. I felt relaxed for the first time in weeks and weeks. Tanking up these few days of holiday in preparation for the stress ahead.
What I do, having no confidence that I'd be any less stressed if gardening was a job as opposed to my existing job, is to dream. I plan out garden ideas and plant combinations and read and read. Lucky enough to have had several very different gardens in my time and to have had lots of opportunity to 'fail forwards' with plants. My one firm plan for retirement is to make the best garden that I can--wherever I end up--with whatever time and health I have left.
luvmegarden, can you combine things? get your troubled kids out there digging and learning? Even seeds and a patch of waste ground could change their minds.
And I want to take a moment to say how brilliant nurserypeople are: so generous with their time and advice. I am a single parent with a full time job and a health problem which keeps me isolated-- gardening gives me a community of great and interesting people. I have lost count of the number of unanticipated kind deeds from plantspeople even outside the UK.
Gardening makes it all worthwhile--I agree.
My sister has just retired from the NHS at 55 after the job ,especially being 'on call',was just getting too much.
She has always done gardening for a couple of people in her area and is now hoping to start a smallholding on her land growing veg etc. and is really looking forward to it.
My daughter does a bit of gardening for a friend who has a very large garden.She lives in a small flat with no garden and has a stressful job as a Nursing Home carer.She is also studying for 4 GCSE's as well.She finds that when she is gardening she can switch off and just do the job at hand.It is physically demanding but finds it relaxing at the same time.
I also love my small garden.I suffer from severe tinnitus as well as being deaf and the garden is really the only place I can really find a sense of calm.
My Mum at 82 still loves to potter in her garden and says she would go crackers if she had to give it up.
I really don't know what any of us would do if we had no garden to enjoy and we are all thankful that we have gardens to enjoy when others have so little.
I personally think working in someone else garden isn't quite the same as working in my own garden. I dont think you can beat working in your own garden.
I'm looking for someone who can help me out with "projects" this year. Hopefully someone who is keen to learn.
Luvmegarden, sit down with a calculator and work out how much you need to eat and pay the bills and take it from there. Fantastic suggestions above and life is too short to continue as you are. Good luck
Luvmegarden, just do it. I have, best thing I ever did or will do. In your first year you may not make much, I didn't, got into to debt but went and saw the bank manager, very understanding and backed me all the way. Still don't make a fortune but enough and I'm happy. That beats money any day of the week. Getting up in the morning and looking forward to going to work. How many people can say that. I work solely by recommendation and I'm busier than ever.
Luvemegarden, I think we all need a little me time and some jobs and even home life situations mean we need a little down time ourselves,,
Gardeners are not well paid, a lot of time its a labour of love, I have had a share in a gardening business about 10 years ago, its hard work and when I think of all the pain of trying to reclaim gardens neglected for years.. I'm glad I only do my own garden these days...
But the very best of luck if you are really intent on a career change..
Supposing you get a gardening job and then volunteer (elsewhere) as well if you then feel you wish to keep helping others? I mean, what is keeping you in your current job? Is it the practical side of things, or is it the feeling you "ought" to be helping others? You have already helped them a lot, by the sound of it, and it's a very tough and draining thing to do. I'm wondering if you might actually be burnt out also from the "helping others" aspect of your job, not just from the stress of the job, so taking a break from that might be a good thing to do. But of course I have no idea if that's really the case, only you know.
Couldn't agree more. I live in hope that one day I'll have the guts to do the same. After a 16 hour day today I feel pretty close! I dream of waking up and looking forwards to work.