Once the "I'm an airline pilot" wears off flying becomes a job just like any other job. If you are in the aviation business just for the dream of making a lot of money you should change direction. If you are in it for the dream of flying (doing what you love) then you should stay and make the best of it. Sure, you could go and get a nursing degree and have a high paying and very secure future but would you be happy? People in every line of work complain about their job...some more than others. I have a government job working 40 hours a week, 6:00 - 2:30, weekends off, over 5 weeks vacation, considering all pay and benefits about $70K, get to come home every day...and I still complain about my job. However, I still have the dream of being an airline pilot and part of me wants to give it all up (24 yrs) for a regional job. But with the price of oil climbing and all the recent bankruptcys I've decided to let the dream go. When I retire at 55 if I still have my health and the pilot hiring allows it then I'll go fly for a regional for 10 years and "live the dream!" If you need help to make a decision do what Ben Franklin did...draw a line down the middle of a page, put the positives on one side and the negatives on the other, and go with which side has the most.