Recently, I had lunch with a former colleague who had moved on from journalism into public relations.

She was tanned and relaxed, even though it was a Wednesday night. She was telling me about her upcoming vacation – her third this year.

“I’m telling you Sand,” she said. “As soon as I quit journalism, I realized I was in for a lifestyle change.”

It wasn’t the first time I had contemplated abandoning my career choice. But each time, I decided to stick to what I love instead of opting for this “lifestyle” that everyone keeps talking about. But now I can’t help but wonder if it’s time to stop the romanticism and finally try some of that rationalism that always seems to escape me when it comes to matters of the heart.

Yes, heart. Because I truly believe we should be in love with our jobs, considering that our work is how and where we spend practically half of our lives.

But even when you’re in love, sometimes you just can’t help but look around and wonder what might have been, had you chosen a different path.

Take my friend Samantha, for example. She’s the quintessential corporate type who relishes power suits, thrives on PowerPoint presentations and owns the corporate ladder. She’s going to be a CEO one day, she says, and I have no doubt about it.

However, even she has started to express some second thoughts about her career path. She’s got other loves, other passions, that she wants to – needs to – explore before settling down with just one.

For example, she’s an accomplished and talented dancer. Should she pursue that dream while she’s still young enough to do it?

When I was 25, I wrote about the frustrations of starting a career. I figured that by 27. I would have figured it all out. Mostly I have, but there are days when I wonder exactly what it is that I know for certain, and the answer is, “Not a damn thing.”

I also thought this career backtracking was unique to those of us suffering from quarter-life crises, but lately I’ve come to realize that it’s a struggle we all go through ever few years, no matter what business we’re in.

I read somewhere that the average person changes careers about three times in their lifetime. I wonder how many of those changes take place while the person is in their twenties?

I once had a teacher who I greatly admired for having a wonderful job in the industry while raising two little ones at home.

“How do you do it?” I asked her one day.

She, too, used the analogy of love and said that once she had her children, it was easy to give up part of her first love for her real loves – her kids.

“But you never forget your first love,” she said. “You just have to find a way to make it all work for you.”

When it comes to a career, I guess it doesn’t matter if you’re contemplating giving it up for kids, or giving it up for an easier lifestyle.  

All that matters is that you don’t give it up for something that you’ll always love less.