How to stay mindful when you hate your day job?

[steveburns04]

I am a student who has been studying medicine for the past 5 years. I hate the degree, and the thought of working. I chose to do it when I was 17, only thinking about money and making my parents happy, I had a lot of mental struggles back then too. I actually love design and art and wanted to be an archictect. It is impossible to do this now, and for financial reasons it looks like I have to stick to medicine for at least 2 years to work off debt. I found out about mindfulness this year and although meditation has helped, it all goes wrong when I start the day at placement, and worse when I have to study at home by myself for hours. I don't enjoy anything anymore. I need some advice for how to stay mindful during my day, as at the moment I can't do anything about being stuck in medicine so I need to learn to live with it.

[JonW]

Hi Steve,
Welcome to the forum.
The first thing I'd say is that it's never too late to change your career/life. I'm in my fifties and gearing up to a radical change of career. It's extremely liberating to realise that change is not impossible.
In terms of mindfulness, my opinion (and it's only my opinion) is that while it can be learned from a book (the Mark Williams/Danny Penman one - Finding Peace In A Frantic World - and anything by Jon Kabat-Zinn are highly recommended), there's no substitute for an eight-week course with a qualified teacher to give you a firm grounding in the practice.
Might be worth checking to see if there are any courses running in your area.
In the meantime, please don't hesitate to post any questions on the forum. We always do our very best to help at Everyday Mindfulness.
All best,
Jon, Hove

[piedwagtail91]

i fully agree with Jon,
you don't say whether your mindfulness is self taught or from a class.
having an experienced teacher to learn from can make a lot of difference.

trying to take on the problems when you're studying or on placement 'in real time' may just be too much.
trying to experience the emotions you feel, which are obviously very strong, away from that situation may be a better starting point, somewhere where you can be relaxed and feel safe.it may just be easier to be with them and experience them.
that can help take away some of the sting or the power of them.
i'm thinking something along the lines of a working with difficulty meditation in a relaxing place bringing to mind just one thing at a time, starting small and building up.
as jon says , come back and talk.
mick

[steveburns04]

Thank you both for your advice. I would love to sign up to an eight week course but there is not one close to me and I don't have car for transport. I am trying to self teach mindfulness but its hard when I have to face hours of a course I hate everyday. I guess it just takes time.

[JonW]

Hello again, Steve.
By self-taught, do you mean you are working with a specific book and guided meditations? Also, have you considered an online course? Breathworks is one option.
All best, Jon

[piedwagtail91]

another online course here, http://www.bemindfulonline.com/
mick

[JonW]

Another thought.
I was fortunate enough to find the perfect teacher when I embarked on the mindfulness adventure a year ago. I believe he also teaches 1-2-1 via Skype.
Please just ask if you'd like further details.
Cheers. Jon

[Gareth]

Inner turmoil is difficult, and it sounds like you have lots of it.

I have MS, and I undertook a series of lifestyle changes to try and 'beat' MS. One of these changes was diet, and I started what was for me a radical diet. Another lifestyle change was meditation which ultimately led me here.

As I was meditating, a persistent, urgent voice in my head used to tell me that I was a foodie, and I needed to be eating what I wanted to be happy. But I also wanted to be well; I was very conflicted.

Eventually the voice became too loud and too urgent, and I relinquished the diet. Immediately an enormous weight was lifted, and I was indeed much happier.

I'm not telling you what to do or how to live your life, but all I'm saying is that that turmoil is there for a reason. It is part of you. Mindfulness can give you an understanding of your own mind and your own life, which can be of enormous benefit to you.

[steveburns04]

Thank you all for your messages, I find them all useful. The last one really hit home with my situation. And i think the online courses look good. Is this forum for advice on how to be mindful or to explain your experience with it? As i could use some help

[JonW]

"Is this forum for advice on how to be mindful or to explain your experience with it?"
It's both, Steve.
Within the boundaries of mindfulness, we're pretty much up for discussing anything here. Though it's probably worth saying that none of us claim to be experts or trained teachers. So there might be occasions when we have to hold up our hands and admit that a question is beyond our ken. In which case we might suggest that somebody goes to their GP or seeks qualified help of another kind.
As for the "boundaries" of mindfulness, that's never easy to nail definitively, of course.
All best, Jon