After heathersweat wanting to break free, what about me?

[annie0000]

I loved heathersweats question such an engaging soul! It got me thinking though to see what ideas you lot could come up with for me and my other half. We are stuck in a rut. We both have reasonable jobs - but neither of us are particularly enjoying them. We have two lovely kids 6 & 5, a nice house in a nice estate. Unlike heathersweat, we are not struggling though we are not living the high life, we can afford holidays and treats. I am 40 & oh is 45 - both reasonably intelligent and hardworking. We have a decent amount of equity in our house, no debts and a little savings. So why are we so restless and fed up?? We need to be doing something else with life. but what? Talk about a mid life crisis!!! Our problem is that we were both brought up in the traditional working class work ethic and are scared to break out without a push. My husband does not have great health so it does need to be something not too physically taxing, not with computers or any type of chemicals (don't ask!). Any suggestions gratefully received.

[oldfashioned]

You have got to give "swinging" a go. It will re-vitalise your whole lifestyle.
www.anythinggoes.com.

[nannon]

run a bed and breakfast in the south of france....or somewhere....with chickend and pigs and stuff....

[annie0000]

I always watch those type of programmes, but I just don't know if we have the guts to do it. I guess we need a big kick up the behind, or life will have passed us by.

[oldfashioned]

typical nannon, no wonder your feller is no good in bed

[nannon]

what kind of thing do you like? what would you like to do?

[ELVIS68]

Move to the countryside,it`s what I did and I love it here,life is so much more enjoyable,we only moved 15 miles away so family and in-laws are only half hour away

Have a look on rightmove.co.uk

[annie0000]

Hi nannon - we don't know - my husband likes the outdoors so maybe something with lots of fesh air - I work in an office just now, so i would maybe like a change.

We have thought of selling up. buying a camper van and just opting out, but I guess we are too "responsible" to do that.

Maybe what we need are ways to get ourselves motivated.

[annie0000]

Hi Elvis - I am glad that you have found somewhere that you like to live. We already live away from family, at the edge of town in easy access to the countryside. We have thought of moving to a village a few miles from here, but I am not sure if that would really change things for us - I think we really need to change our jobs, maybe do something for ourselves and if that meant moving, that would be okay, but we are generally not unhappy with the house etc. more the whole package if you get what I mean. I was brought up in the city, y husband in the country so where we are now feels pretty comfortable- maybe too comfortable - that's the problem!

[chitchat]

I think that sometimes once you have achieved all your goals in life, the thrill of trying to get them has gone. I know that the things I have wanted and worked hard to get no longer seem so exciting once you have them. Does that make sense? I dont know what the answer is - I am still trying to work it out myself. But if you have a dream to have B&B, then perhaps you should consider it. After all you would hate to look back on your life and wonder what if.

[arlibop]

Why not look into doing some voluntary countryside work at weekends - you can take the kids,make new friends, have some fresh air to blow away the cobwebs and see if the life suits at the same time as helping the community

[pastafreak]

I agree with chitchat......we live in a society that makes it very easy to have whatever we want. But often what we want we want and what we need are at oppisite ends of the spectrum. So-we are left with a feeling of "is that all there is?" I think we also have certain periods in our lives when we are ripe for change. I also got involved with heathersweats problem and i think she was looking for something deeper than simply changing her job. From a personal standpoint,I work as a cook in a nursing home ---it is a world away from what I was trained to do...graphic artist........it will never make me rich ,but I feel like I am giving something-however small--to people who have few pleasures left. And every day I remind myself that we may all be there 1 day..Sorry i didn't make any concrete suggestions......