Ask HN Women: Improving or Having Confidence.

I'm a big believer in the idea that you make your life what you want it to be. If she were my friend (I'm female) and told me she wanted to change careers but is stuck where she is, I'd tell her that's a choice she's making. There are probably lots of things - small & large - she could do to begin changing her life, but they're not going to be easy. They're probably going to be a lot of work, it will suck for awhile, but she will have the satisfaction of knowing that she's working towards something that will make her life better/more satisfying/whatever.

Also, even if she hates her job, I'd tell her that every job teaches you something and the more you put it the more you can get out of any job. Tell her to focus on the positive - what can she get out of this job - and how are those little steps going to get her closer to whatever her end goal is?

I also think it's OK not to have a completely clear end goal, not everyone has a cystal clear vision. But if she can figure out bits and pieces of what she wants & doesn't want, she can begin the take steps in the right direction. In my experience, things become more and more clear as you make progress.

>"As a guy, I just can't, just listen to it. I strongly feel that if you are going to dream of something that you need to go after it or give it up. It's a waste of emotional energy to hold on to things that you will in the far future attempt."

[IANAW] Usually, just listening to it is what she wants you to do. She is not asking you to fix it, just to be emotionally supportive in the here and now. Feeling like one missed out and is stuck can not be disproven by logic.

In other words, these conversations aren't about you and your feelings. They are about her and her feelings.

I will point out, that your girlfriend's ambition to return to school is clear evidence that she does not believe her time to succeed has passed. What it means is that she is looking for change.

Listen and offer support to her (not give unsolicited technical advice) and you may be part of her future and she of yours, otherwise you are likely to go on the things to change list. That will require biting your tongue - sometimes literally.

Good luck.

The strategy that I have used when out of the job market for a while is to consider the first few interviews as throwaways that I use to learn what he market conditions, interview fads and the like are. If I get blown away, so what; it's a learning experience. If I get an instant offer, I'll still keep on looking, until I get a good feel. (Unless it's the best job I've ever seen.) It's like dating. You shouldnt get bummed out if the first person you date isnt a fit.

EDIT: If you have a stable relationship, consider giving her the financial help that she needs to make a career change. Give up your bowling league or whatever. Consider her to be a good startup investment. Of course, consider the soundness of whatever she wants to do. If her dream is to start a used clothing store, it is probably best to be a bit hard of hearing.

I have offered her a few thousand dollars so that she could quit and look for a job.

I kind of hesitate to reply. My thoughts on male-female relationships often get very strong negative reactions from both men and women. (FWIW: I happen to be female.)

I would suggest you back off some and let this be her baby. If she whines, ask "so what do you plan to do about it?" Let her know that if she wants to change this, you are happy to provide practical support. But if she wants a shoulder to cry on, you aren't really interested. That "I feel your pain" crap isn't really your style. (This is what I routinely did with my sons: I will help you explore your options but if after exploring your options you choose to keep doing the same thing, don't come whining to me about it. You can come back at any time and get more assistance with brainstorming and such but I am not a shoulder to cry on and I have no sympathy when you clearly brought this on yourself and keep doing so.)

I have known a couple of men who both pressured their wives into going back to school etc. They were never really satisfied. Both men found me wildly attractive...and promptly behaved towards me in the same butt-in-sky, controlling fashion with which they had tried to run their wive's lives. This does not fly with me. And it doesn't work. Pushing someone around to force them to do better in life is not the way to create someone who does a good job of standing up for themselves. In order to "benefit" from this type of help, she first has to cave to your demands. It actually gets kind of the opposite of the intended result.

I would also recommend you pick up a book called "Chore Wars". Women are routinely expected to do the lion's share of housework, cooking, etc. Helping more around the house (or hiring help if that is feasible) is something genuinely supportive you can do to remove real obstacles to her having the energy to put into being more ambitious. I know for a fact this works. I left a husband who was really dumb about the ways in which he was holding me back and I told my two sons at some point that I would rather they take over the housework and cooking so I had the energy to work overtime instead of encouraging them to get jobs. This serves multiple purposes for our family. But it is very clear to me that all the studies and what not I have read are correct: A big obstacle to the success of women is the proverbial 'second shift' which motivates them to choose pink collar ghetto jobs so they have enough energy left to do all the "women's work" after they clock out.

Best of luck.

Most of this is relevant. It's not my idea that she get a new job, it's hers.