topic Struggle with job/life? in Staying well

Struggle with job/life?

guest2046046 — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 08:37:11 GMT

Hello everyone.

I hope you are all well.

I find that uploading to these forums is comforting even if I don't get many replies. Just here to vent 🙂

At the moment I feel like I'm stuck. I think my anxiety is coming back pretty hard and it always hits before my shifts at work or when I am alone at home. I feel like my lungs close up and it becomes a bit harder to breathe and I just keep thinking about how bad things are/could be when really logically they're not that bad. I got a new part time job working as a kennel cleaner, and I honestly don't mind the work. It is just a simple job where I clean the kennels and finish up. The problem I have is that it is so far to travel, and it takes a chunk of money to travel there and also since I have decided to study to become a human nurse, it doesn't really align with that (previously I wanted to become a vet nurse). I am just struggling with the decision to stay at that job or leave. It is a fine job, good even but it doesn't push me out of my boundaries because it is just cleaning and I am not learning any new skills. But it is very far and means I have to stay one night away from home. I don't seem to be having much luck getting any cleaning or food service positions at hospitals or aged cares near me for exposure to more nursing related things to learn about. What if I regret leaving my current kennel cleaning job? What if I think- "I should have kept that job and I'm an idiot for leaving"? Part of me also feels like if I leave and don't already have a backup job then I'm not good enough because I'm not working properly while I'm at uni. I guess I just have to decide long travel but good enough job VS take a risk closer to home job VS a retail job closer to home VS no job and just do uni. I keep dragging this on in my head and I feel like I'm going crazy- and I can't make a good decision. I would appreciate any advice or input from others. Thanks!

Hi there, It’s really good that you felt able to share t...

Sophie_M — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 08:49:36 GMT

Hi there,

It’s really good that you felt able to share this, even just getting it out can take a bit of pressure off. What you’re describing sounds a lot like anxiety getting caught in a loop, especially that feeling of your chest tightening and your thoughts jumping ahead to “what if” scenarios. That can make even relatively straightforward decisions feel huge and overwhelming. When it comes to your job situation, it might help to gently step back from trying to find the perfect decision. There may not be one “right” choice here just options with different trade-offs. Sometimes thinking in terms of “what feels more manageable for me right now?” rather than “what if I regret this?” can take a bit of the pressure off.

You’re also already doing something really important, you’re studying towards nursing, which gives you a longer-term direction. Jobs along the way don’t have to tick every box, they just need to support you enough while you move toward that goal.

With the anxiety itself, those physical symptoms can be really uncomfortable. Some people find it helps to ground themselves in the moment (like slowing the breath or focusing on what’s around them) when that tight feeling kicks in, just to take the edge off. It sounds like you’ve got a lot on your plate, and you’re trying to make thoughtful decisions, that says a lot about you. If things start to feel too overwhelming, you can always reach out to the Beyond Blue Support Service on 1300 22 4636 there to talk things through anytime.

You’re very welcome to keep sharing how you’re going.

Kind regards,
Sophie M

Re: Struggle with job/life?

Mark07a — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 04:20:27 GMT

If i was you I would keep your kennel job until you can find something else.

Yes it helps having a health related job, I studied nursing and I worked as caseworker and an ain whilst studying. Yes having jobs like that related are helpful but by no means essential.

Keep looking until you find something and then you can transition.

How do you like nursing?