Molly this piece is eerily poignant for me...three weeks on Wednesday I too will leave my career having realised the 17 years I have spent doing it have devastated the HS person I am...not sure I have the future mapped quite as you do but it will come. Thank you for a lovely read this morning, enjoy your week 🙂
Oh wow, I wish you the best of luck with whatever comes next in your career! I'm sure you will find something that nourishes you and allows you to be your best self :)
You've been so deeply honest with yourself in this excellent piece of writing Molly, and I completely empathise with you. You have to be true to yourself to be truly happy in life and confident you are on the right path. It seems like you have found this now, and long may it continue! I'm a grandma, so plenty of mistakes have been made in my own life along the way. But since I retired from work I have found such an appreciation of nature and the outdoors - I think because I bought myself a Golden Retriever as a retirement gift to myself, and he takes me out in nature every day, rain or shine! You have your whole life ahead of you, you are a wonderful writer and blogger/vlogger....... and I shall continue enjoying to watch where life takes you. X
Kudos to you for figuring this out way earlier than I did! My big career shift followed a midlife crisis at 46. May you enjoy this new phase of your life!
So much of your story resonates with my own life experience ❤️ my ‘deer cull’ was at a Woodland Trust site. Have you read the Rewilding book about Knepp? I have such mixed feelings about the way humans intervene and ‘interfere’ but with the harm that we cause just by living our lives I think we do need to help all the other life on this planet. I do ‘my bit’ by wilding my garden. It fills me with joy but as you have intimated, the ‘harm’ overlapping from the actions of others, whether well intentioned or not, is equally heart breaking. Thank you for sharing your journey xxx
Thank you for your comment! I haven't read it but I have heard of it. I think individual action really does matter and I'm sure the wildlife near you really appreciate your garden :)
Thank you so much for sharing this, Iove the title 'career pivot'. I think so many of us are living and working in careers that aren't in line with our true self/values and I know how difficult it can be when you have pursued a career for so long, only to realise you might be happier doing something else. It takes courage and I have so much admiration for you actually doing it. Good luck in this new and exciting chapter! xx
Aug 22, 2023·edited Aug 22, 2023Liked by Molly Ella
Lovely piece. I identify with your feelings so much. I used to yearn to be the warden at my local nature reserve. I was friends with the present wardens and it seemed their lives were perfect. Everything I could want. But their job comes with an annual commitment to cull large numbers of the local red deer herd. The deer breed very successfully, and numbers increase quickly, so I can understand that it was entirely necessary. But there was no way I could be part of that - to kill a creature as beautiful as a deer, never mind lots of them. So my dreams of being a warden were put to one side, and now I just enjoy the equally stunning countryside around me, and enjoy a walk up to the reserve when I know there's no culling going on.
This post was beautifully written, I really resonated with it. I've also felt a strong connection with animals from early age but I never new you could get to work with them outside of becoming a vet. My way to show my love for nature is through art, but it breaks my heart to hear stories of endangered animals and animal suffering in general, I wish I could do something about it. Sometimes I feel people are too disconnected from the natural world, that we're losing precious creatures through the way we live our life. Anyway, I hope you're enjoying your new path. Your part of the world looks beautiful :)
Thank you! I was the same for a while when I thought becoming a vet was the only option. I feel there needs to be more education in schools for those who want to work in nature! :)
What a wonderful piece Molly! Thank you so much for sharing. I knew in my heart that the best path for me was to listen to my own inner voice and become a landscape artist, but it took until I was thirty six years old to begin to understand my highly sensitive nature. Yet in spite of that it took a good few more years for me to actually realize what it means to survive in a world where being out going and strong (not being sensitive) is valued most of all. Yet in these last three years it seems as if at last the Highly Sensitive Person has it's own voice and the value of being so is important. HSP are strong and wise in their own way and there is a place for us in the world. Molly your wisdom and inspiring vlogs and stories are making such a difference! It is such a gift to us all.
Oh I have had a very similar experience! I retrained to be a nutritionist but then when I started practicing I realised my HSP self couldn’t handle the responsibilities of other peoples’ health. I worried so much about my recommendations to them and couldn’t switch off. I went back to my former career in publishing and am MUCH happier. Well done you for owning this! x
I resonate so much 🫶🏼 thank you for sharing. I am a marine biologist and so exhausted with science/conservation and all the negativity of it. I’m currently trying to drop down to 4 days a week and hope to grow my own business eventually too. So happy that you’ve managed to figure out a way that works for you! Fingers crossed I can do too ✨
I get it! I dropped to part time (3.5 days) so I could grow my business alongside. It did take some time (and patience!) but it was worth it in the end. I wish you the best of luck! :)
Hi Molly, this is a beautiful piece and I’m so happy for you that you’ve made such and important decision. I had tried to do some volunteering at a wildlife refuge but when I learned we’d have to euthanize animals not native to the state, I actually cried. I realized it probably wasn’t the place for me… it’s hard because we want to help animals but there’s unfortunately more to it than cuddling the cute ones. Thanks for your honesty and vulnerability, as always!
I can completely relate! There are some hard truths in the conservation world. We can only do what's right for us and even small individual actions can make so much difference :)
It’s so good to read your journey to where you are now, and I commend you greatly for your work work I most certainly couldn’t do. I signed up and received my copy of the book ‘regeneration’, but I was ignorant of parts I was about to read. I stopped at the deer killing, and passed the book on to someone else.
I just can’t get my head round it, and I refuse to listen to reasons for it and I do fully understand it was humans that caused it to begin with. I have a great need to shut things out that are horrible to me, I can’t look, I can’t read and I can’t listen and that’s how I cope. But that’s on me, maybe if I pushed through that I could do more good.
Molly this piece is eerily poignant for me...three weeks on Wednesday I too will leave my career having realised the 17 years I have spent doing it have devastated the HS person I am...not sure I have the future mapped quite as you do but it will come. Thank you for a lovely read this morning, enjoy your week 🙂
Oh wow, I wish you the best of luck with whatever comes next in your career! I'm sure you will find something that nourishes you and allows you to be your best self :)
I have every faith I will. Like you said in your piece, I am full of gratitude that my circumstances allow me the freedom I find I now need...
You've been so deeply honest with yourself in this excellent piece of writing Molly, and I completely empathise with you. You have to be true to yourself to be truly happy in life and confident you are on the right path. It seems like you have found this now, and long may it continue! I'm a grandma, so plenty of mistakes have been made in my own life along the way. But since I retired from work I have found such an appreciation of nature and the outdoors - I think because I bought myself a Golden Retriever as a retirement gift to myself, and he takes me out in nature every day, rain or shine! You have your whole life ahead of you, you are a wonderful writer and blogger/vlogger....... and I shall continue enjoying to watch where life takes you. X
Thank you Sue, I really appreciate your comment :) Yes, having a dog is a fantastic motivation to get outside more!
Kudos to you for figuring this out way earlier than I did! My big career shift followed a midlife crisis at 46. May you enjoy this new phase of your life!
Thank you! I hope you found something that suits you better now :)
Yes I have! 🙂
I love that you are now completely self employed! How empowering & wonderful all at once.
I think so! :)
Well done for being so honest with yourself (and us) and making a change.
As a fellow career shifter, I know how hard it is to take that step.
Here's to the next exciting chapter, but this time more on your terms! x
Thank you lovely!
So much of your story resonates with my own life experience ❤️ my ‘deer cull’ was at a Woodland Trust site. Have you read the Rewilding book about Knepp? I have such mixed feelings about the way humans intervene and ‘interfere’ but with the harm that we cause just by living our lives I think we do need to help all the other life on this planet. I do ‘my bit’ by wilding my garden. It fills me with joy but as you have intimated, the ‘harm’ overlapping from the actions of others, whether well intentioned or not, is equally heart breaking. Thank you for sharing your journey xxx
Thank you for your comment! I haven't read it but I have heard of it. I think individual action really does matter and I'm sure the wildlife near you really appreciate your garden :)
Thank you so much for sharing this, Iove the title 'career pivot'. I think so many of us are living and working in careers that aren't in line with our true self/values and I know how difficult it can be when you have pursued a career for so long, only to realise you might be happier doing something else. It takes courage and I have so much admiration for you actually doing it. Good luck in this new and exciting chapter! xx
Thank you so much lovely! :)
Lovely piece. I identify with your feelings so much. I used to yearn to be the warden at my local nature reserve. I was friends with the present wardens and it seemed their lives were perfect. Everything I could want. But their job comes with an annual commitment to cull large numbers of the local red deer herd. The deer breed very successfully, and numbers increase quickly, so I can understand that it was entirely necessary. But there was no way I could be part of that - to kill a creature as beautiful as a deer, never mind lots of them. So my dreams of being a warden were put to one side, and now I just enjoy the equally stunning countryside around me, and enjoy a walk up to the reserve when I know there's no culling going on.
Thank you for sharing your experience! I can relate :)
This post was beautifully written, I really resonated with it. I've also felt a strong connection with animals from early age but I never new you could get to work with them outside of becoming a vet. My way to show my love for nature is through art, but it breaks my heart to hear stories of endangered animals and animal suffering in general, I wish I could do something about it. Sometimes I feel people are too disconnected from the natural world, that we're losing precious creatures through the way we live our life. Anyway, I hope you're enjoying your new path. Your part of the world looks beautiful :)
Thank you! I was the same for a while when I thought becoming a vet was the only option. I feel there needs to be more education in schools for those who want to work in nature! :)
What a wonderful piece Molly! Thank you so much for sharing. I knew in my heart that the best path for me was to listen to my own inner voice and become a landscape artist, but it took until I was thirty six years old to begin to understand my highly sensitive nature. Yet in spite of that it took a good few more years for me to actually realize what it means to survive in a world where being out going and strong (not being sensitive) is valued most of all. Yet in these last three years it seems as if at last the Highly Sensitive Person has it's own voice and the value of being so is important. HSP are strong and wise in their own way and there is a place for us in the world. Molly your wisdom and inspiring vlogs and stories are making such a difference! It is such a gift to us all.
Thank you so much lovely! I also feel the tide is changing and I feel grateful to have connected with so many HSP's online :)
I started college as a biochemistry major. I finished, and went on to grad school, as a painter……
I love that!
Oh I have had a very similar experience! I retrained to be a nutritionist but then when I started practicing I realised my HSP self couldn’t handle the responsibilities of other peoples’ health. I worried so much about my recommendations to them and couldn’t switch off. I went back to my former career in publishing and am MUCH happier. Well done you for owning this! x
Amazing! Good for you for making a change :)
I resonate so much 🫶🏼 thank you for sharing. I am a marine biologist and so exhausted with science/conservation and all the negativity of it. I’m currently trying to drop down to 4 days a week and hope to grow my own business eventually too. So happy that you’ve managed to figure out a way that works for you! Fingers crossed I can do too ✨
I get it! I dropped to part time (3.5 days) so I could grow my business alongside. It did take some time (and patience!) but it was worth it in the end. I wish you the best of luck! :)
Thanks for sharing this very personal article with us. You courage is much appreciated :)
Thank you :)
Hi Molly, this is a beautiful piece and I’m so happy for you that you’ve made such and important decision. I had tried to do some volunteering at a wildlife refuge but when I learned we’d have to euthanize animals not native to the state, I actually cried. I realized it probably wasn’t the place for me… it’s hard because we want to help animals but there’s unfortunately more to it than cuddling the cute ones. Thanks for your honesty and vulnerability, as always!
I can completely relate! There are some hard truths in the conservation world. We can only do what's right for us and even small individual actions can make so much difference :)
It’s so good to read your journey to where you are now, and I commend you greatly for your work work I most certainly couldn’t do. I signed up and received my copy of the book ‘regeneration’, but I was ignorant of parts I was about to read. I stopped at the deer killing, and passed the book on to someone else.
I just can’t get my head round it, and I refuse to listen to reasons for it and I do fully understand it was humans that caused it to begin with. I have a great need to shut things out that are horrible to me, I can’t look, I can’t read and I can’t listen and that’s how I cope. But that’s on me, maybe if I pushed through that I could do more good.
I completely understand that. You can only do what's right for you :)