The Balanced Pet Parent

For a long time, if someone asked me to tell them about myself, my response was immediate:
“I’m a vet tech.”
That was it. That was who I was. Or so I thought.

But when I left my full-time job as a veterinary technician, I felt completely untethered. I wasn’t sure who I was anymore. It was disorienting, confusing, and honestly, a little scary.

As a Christian, I knew my identity wasn’t supposed to come from a job. I knew I was more than a title, a uniform, or a role in a clinic. But it still hurt. It’s a strange thing to mourn something you chose to walk away from—but when your entire identity is wrapped up in your career, stepping away feels like tearing out a part of yourself.

🔥 Burnout Is Real (and Common)

One major reason I left was burnout. In the veterinary field, compassion fatigue is incredibly common, and not nearly talked about enough.

We don’t just care for animals—we carry the weight of their humans’ emotions, too. We witness suffering, euthanasia, and the emotional exhaustion that comes with endless urgent cases and moral dilemmas. That constant exposure leaves many of us feeling drained, sometimes to the point of emotional numbness.

This isn’t just anecdotal—it’s well-documented.

📚 Research shows:

• A 2020 study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science found that veterinary professionals are at a higher risk of burnout, compassion fatigue, and depression compared to many other healthcare providers (Bartram & Baldwin, 2020).
• The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) reports that more than one in six veterinarians have considered suicide, and mental health concerns are a significant issue in the profession (AVMA Wellbeing Resources).
• A 2018 study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) noted that technicians and support staff experience high levels of stress, low compensation, and little emotional support, all contributing to long-term burnout.

Burnout isn’t a failure. It’s a signal. A sign that your nervous system—and soul—need rest, healing, and reconnection.

❔Who Am I Now?

So here I am. Not working full-time in a clinic. Still wondering what I’ll do next, but doing better, bit by bit. I still trim nails from house to house. I do the occasional “booty squeeze” (anal gland expression, for those outside the vet world!). I still have one foot in that world, and always will, in some form.

But now I’m trying to be a whole person again.

That means figuring out what I actually like to do when I’m not in scrubs. I’ve picked up a few hobbies I never had time or energy for before:

• I play Stardew Valley (yes, farming is healing).
• I do paint-by-diamond kits (it’s so soothing to see something sparkly come to life).
• I read, and not just textbooks or case studies—real books with stories that help me escape or reflect.
• And of course, I spend time with my dogs, because they are still my favorite kind of therapy.

📚 Hobbies to Try (if You’re Rebuilding Too)

If you’re in a similar place—wrestling with burnout, transition, or a loss of identity—here are a few hobby ideas that might help you reconnect with yourself:

• Journaling or creative writing
• Hiking or walking trails with your pets
• Learning a new craft (crochet, pottery, candle-making)
• Gardening (even a few potted herbs on your porch counts!)
• Playing cozy video games like Animal Crossing or Spiritfarer
• Volunteering (animal shelters, libraries, your church)
• Baking or cooking new recipes
• Taking a fitness or yoga class (online or in person)
• Learning an instrument (hello, ukulele!)
• Adult coloring books or art kits

You don’t have to be “good” at these hobbies. That’s not the point. The point is to give yourself space to play, explore, and feel something other than “productive.”

🔓 Tips for Detaching Your Identity From Your Career

When your job becomes the loudest voice telling you who you are, it can drown out the still, small voice of God reminding you who He says you are. If you’re a Christian wrestling with identity after a career change or burnout, here are some intentional ways to realign your identity with your faith:

1. Start Each Day With God Before You Reach for Productivity
Before checking your email or to-do list, spend even 5–10 minutes in prayer, scripture, or worship. Centering yourself in God’s truth before the world labels you “useful” or “not enough” helps anchor your day.

“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…” – Matthew 6:33

2. Meditate on Identity Scriptures (and Write Them Down)
Remind yourself often of who you already are in Christ. Try writing out or taping these around your house:

• You are chosen – 1 Peter 2:9
• You are created with purpose – Ephesians 2:10
• You are a child of God – Romans 8:14
• You are not condemned – Romans 8:1
• You are fully known and fully loved – Psalm 139:1–4

Let God’s Word tell you who you are, not your job title.

3. Surrender the Need for Constant Doing
Sometimes we attach ourselves to roles because being busy or needed gives us worth. But in the gospel, we are valued not for what we do, but because of whose we are. Regularly surrendering your desire to prove yourself can be healing.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10

4. Read Faith-Focused Books on Identity and Calling
Here are a few books that can help reshape how you view purpose and identity:

• You Are the Girl for the Job – Jess Connolly
• The Purpose Driven Life – Rick Warren
• Anonymous: Jesus’ Hidden Years and Yours – Alicia Britt Chole
• Garden City – John Mark Comer (on work, rest, and calling)

5. Talk to a Mentor or Faith-Based Counselor
Sometimes we need help untangling our worth from our work. A spiritual mentor or Christian therapist can help you process your grief, burnout, and identity shift with biblical wisdom and grace.

6. Pray Specifically for Identity Clarity
It might feel strange at first, but start asking God directly:

• “Lord, show me who You created me to be outside of my job.”
• “Help me trust that I am still valuable even when I am resting or unsure.”
• “Remind me daily that my identity is in Christ alone.”

7. Replace Self-Talk With Truth-Talk
When you catch yourself thinking, “I’m nothing without my job,” stop and say something like:

“That’s not true. My job may be changing, but my value and identity in Christ remain the same.”

Train your mind to reject lies and embrace truth—speak Scripture to your soul the way Jesus did when He was tempted.