Sometimes I feel like I need a life coach.

[Muzzlenuzzles]

Altaylor, I haven't been on the DP much recently so I realize I'm jumping into this a little late, but I just want to say that based on how much thought you're putting into this decision (much more than I think I would have at your age) and the obvious intelligence and maturity that shine through your other posts, you are bound to make a good decision and be successful at whatever you do.

At 48, I have mixed feelings about the pros and cons of following your passion if it means a less certain career path and poorer income prospects. As a person with a disabling chronic illness, I am dependent on my husband's income -- and he chose to go the high-passion, low-income route before I met him. I think that this has kept him sane and that alone means it was the right thing to do. But when he suddenly lost his job last month, we were struck by how lovely it would be to have a significant savings account, more equity in our house, some investments to liquidate or even valuable stuff to sell and he wondered if the decisions he made in his twenties and thirties turned out to be the right ones. But we'll never know. If he had done something he didn't love that paid better, would we still be married? Would he have stress-related health problems? Who would he be now?

Reflecting on that paragraph and cheered by the fact that my husband has just nailed down a new job "with 99.9% certainty," I think I'd be inclined to recommend studying what you love and seeing where that takes you. Also, I asked all the dogs I know and they really want you in their corner.

All the best to you, altaylor.

Mary Ann

[lynners]

Your last sentence put a smile on my face. Thank you, Mary Anne!