Quarter-Life Crisis

My mind and my girl Danielle's must be unconciously on the same wave length. As I sign on to write this, I see her latest post has the same exact title!!! So I guess I should start off by saying it must not just be me and I know someone else must know how badly the quarter-life crisis sucks no matter how similar or different our crises may be!!! So yeah mid-life crisis came pre-maturely and I am experiencing it now...does not love. Let me start by saying that I have many a wonderful thing in my life and I by no means am in crisis in all aspects of my life, merely a few or maybe it's just the one that just has a big impact. The main culprit happens to be my career/job/education, whichever way you fancy to put it, situation. I have wants, desires, things I wish I had, but can't for monetary reasons. I want bragging rights for a career I should love, but have never had a chance to. I am just not where I dreamed I would be. I know, I know, who is right? But I always thought there was nothing in the world that could keep me from having all that I dreamed. So I know I have said it before and forgive me for whining cause I am going to anyway, but I really was naive in my high school into college transition days. I really felt the sky was the limit and I was literally in my "hey day" when I was in college. I felt accomplished, I felt possibilities, I felt confident...and then I graduated and things kind of went downhill from there. I loved college and always thought since my future career was always so important to me that I would feel the same then. Only took me 6 months to find a job (actually not sure how long or short of a time finding a job that was in 2007-2008) and I thought it was a pretty good one at the time. Then I kind of got peeved that I was pushing paper, working at a job that did not even require my degree, and working for literally the Wicked Bitch of the West. Rather easily got into my second "real" job and really found out what a brick wall I had hit. I beat out a lot of people to get the job and again felt very accomplished before over time I realized despite some of the perks (4-10's, hours I liked) it would take much more than the 2 years I had already invested to get any kind of seniority and that I am completely, totally, and utterly OVER working holidays!!! Again, I HEART my holidays!!! I am very sentimental this way and cherish every second you get to spend celebrating and being with family, friends or whoever it is that means most to you. So I slowly realized my dilemma and the crucial moments in my past that brought me to this stage. My whole life (and I mean pretty much the whole thing...started back in first grade!!) I have just had a thing for teaching. Always copied my teachers at home playing make believe, enjoyed helping others, have been told by teachers I should teach and I just enjoy teaching/training others in general. Not to be conceited or toot my own horn, but I am awesome at it!!! So I am having trouble lately understanding what in my head made me decide when I entered college to claim I was undecided...I wasn't. I knew, but I guess deep down I was dillusional enough to think that I could find something that would make me a bunch of money (yeah, I thought that) and that I would find something I would enjoy and get more respect for. So I committed the cardinal sin of ignoring what my heart said and here I am. I have identified my problem and it is simply this...I am not currently where I belong. I chose a degree and successfully completed it in criminal justice. Love the material, but even I knew as graduation time approached that there was no place for me in it annnnddd I was right. So here's the low down: teaching is in my heart and is my true talent, journalism came easily to me, but bored me, criminal justice was interesting, but is not my niche...looks like I got some 'splaining to myself  to do. So now that I have completely disected my problem and have it in pieces on the floor...what the hell now? How do I fix this? I need all the tape and glue in the world with a side of Captain Morgan. I have some tough decisions to make. Stick things out and be miserable? Move on in my same career field to what would most likely also be unsatisfying and/or miserable?Or start all over and go back to school? Ugh :( this is not easy. I know life is what you make it and oh I'm sure all of those positive thinking guru's are shaking their finger at me right now, but sometimes things aren't gonna make ya happy no matter how you shake it and I've shaken it to death. So that's me on the couch...I know, I'm full of deep down dirty drama aren't I?!? ;)