I appreciate your response!

That is good advice about a career counselor. But unfortunately I go to a university with 25,000 students, so the counselors are a) very busy and b) don’t really give thoughtful advice tailored to each person. They basically sign your enrollment sheets if you know what classes you want to take, and then say adios.

The hardworking part is true. I work very hard, which is why my gut feeling tells me I have a chance of actually making it in a competitive field that I’m passionate about, like painting or writing. But then my brain tells me I’m better off playing it safe. What if I don’t have as much natural talent as I think I do? There are a lot of talented people out there. My brain says “Finish your degree, and then do what you want if you don’t like it” …but I can see myself having a million more excuses at that point why I should just keep playing it safe.

You are right that I need to make time to put effort into my relationships though. That is very important to me and I’m trying!

My grandmother died a few weeks ago, which is part of the catalyst for this mini-crisis I’m having. I know that life is short, and the true things that matter are family and love. When I went home last weekend, I was overcome with a sense of peace due to the simple fact that I have parents and a brother and dogs that love me. All other problems were minuscule in comparison. This makes me think that the quality of my life will not depend as much on my career choice as it will on my relationships I build. But I don’t know.

Thoughts?