40-something, Overweight, Laid-off and Going Back to College
Sung to the tune of “Going Back to Cali,” by L.L. Cool J.
I’m going back to college, to college.
I’m going back to college.
I don’t think so.
After being laid off for almost two years, I’ll be starting undergraduate Anatomy and Physiology I on Monday of next week. The last time I was a college student, spiral perms and acid wash jeans were the styles and I did all my papers on a Brother Word Processor.
My, how my world has changed. I never expected to be out of work, certainly not for more than a couple of months. And, never considered becoming a Nurse the first time I went to college. No. Criminal Justice was my major. Which I parlayed into a variety of different jobs successfully.
Sadly, the organization I thought I’d retire from, merged with another, reorganized and proceeded to lay people off as they transitioned. My last day there was bittersweet. Bitter because I knew I’d given the customers my best work and the best parts of myself and sweet, because I knew that I would not be a good match for the new direction they were heading.
In the meantime, I started working for myself as a Zumba Instructor and Virtual Assistant. Zumba helped me lose weight, become healthier and brought my joy, even on the darkest days. It gives me a reason to move, dance and have FUN and has become my passion! I’ll be sharing my experiences at the upcoming Zumba convention in a couple of weeks.
Which brings me to why I’m chronicling my return to college. This is not my first attempt at blogging. I’ve been recording my weight loss journey elsewhere. This, however, will be more personal because when I lost my job, I lost part of my identity. It’s time for me to take it back and I know my contributions lie in wellness, fitness and helping people become their healthiest selves.
BRING IT ON! I’M READY!
Reading, Drinking and Dancing with a Chaser of Snark 
October 1, 2009 at 3:17 am
I think its great that you are going back to college. You are right in that things are different. But I think if you relax and let yourself be as carefree about it as possible, you will be sucessful and without worries. Unfortunately, we all lose sight of ourselves when we become complacent in a job. Then one day, the hammer drops and your life becomes this whirlwind of emotion, secondguessing and what seems to be a wave of your life flashing before you. Have I experienced this, you ask yourself. Why yes and the road is pretty bumpy but exciting. Thats why I am listening to Zero 7’s Destiny now and feeling pretty good about my choices and the new direction my life is heading.
One bit of advice, even though it is unwarranted. Get yourself mentally and physically fit. It really will give you the stamina and positive reinforcement you need.