In part one I discussed how if I can’t financially sustain myself doing the type of nutrition work I am passionate about then I rather look to another field to make money and continue to do the nutrition work I love on the side, without the financial pressure. There is more to the story though. There is also another field which I love, which I had thought of pursuing a career in in college, prior to deciding on nutrition, and that is: Psychology.
In fact, this past summer when I moved to Atlanta and had some time for stepping back and doing some self-study since it was the first time I didn’t have a full-time job in 6 years (all of which I spent as a dietitian in a pediatric outpatient clinic in NY), I picked up a book on developmental psychology. (Luckily my husband has a masters in school psychology so I didn’t have to go farther than the bookshelf in our den!)
The more I read in this book, the more I decided it was one of my favorite books of all time—so insightful, so interesting! Fast forward almost a year and now I am blessed with the opportunity to work in developmental psych!—helping out in a local preschool.
So right now, I am very much in a similar position to how I was in college, when I majored in psychology. I am spending much of my time in the field of psychology while on the side researching and dispensing nutrition advice. Granted now I am doing it as a licensed dietitian, but the feeling is reminiscent—that feeling of joy I get from helping people lead healthier, happier lives.
Mindful Nuggets 