I took a sabbatical back in 2005 to spend some time instructing and building up my hours. Unfortunately this only increased my level of debt. I also tendered my resignation in May 2008 bacuase bmir said they would be starting a course that June. I had to go back to the force and ask for my job back when the course was cancelled due to rising oil prices. I would still have jumped in feet first if I my circumstances were the same as they were in 2007.
In the time that I have been paddling in the holding pool I have met a wonderful lady(who said she wouldn't ever try to stop me following my dream, even last week) I've started a family, and I've witnessed the fragile nature of pilot employment for the second time in a decade.
I didn't look elsewhere once I'd passed bmir's sim assessment because I thought there aren't many airlines that offer relatively inexperienced pilots such a good package.
It was very hard to step off the treadmill of trying to get an airline job and view life as a whole. When I did this I realised that I was safer and more secure in my current role, as the sole bread winner I couldn't afford the risk of losing my job.
I've still got instructing to keep me flying and I truly believe it's the best sort of flying you can do.