One of my clients is in the process of making a career change right now and it reminds me of the time when I was doing the same. I forgot how scary and huge this was! Now that it has been a few years since, I can’t imagine not making the change. BUT at the time how could I have known how great it would be and how much I would learn (and continue to), as I navigated my way through it.
Read on for some valuable tips on how to make a big change with ease and confidence 🙂
As I think about how scared I was to quit my “real” job, I feel for all of you in this same position. Our careers are such a big part of our life and intertwined with everything else in our lives. Our jobs control where we live, how much free time we have and how much money we have to enjoy our lives. Subsequently, this has a direct effect on our relationships, health and environment. It ultimately controls our happiness.
If it’s a job you don’t like, you can see how your life can literally be heading in a downwards spiral. So why not do something you love? Why not choose where you want to live and how much time you want to work? Why let your job control you and your happiness? I truly believe from the bottom of my heart that we are meant to live happy, abundant lives. I hope that the following tips will help you do just that 🙂
Careful who you talk to. I remember when I was thinking about getting into coaching. It was a relatively new field and some people that were closest to me didn’t understand it. If I had listened to them, I never would have made the change. Something that I learned later, that helped me confirm what I already knew, was that everyone has their own baggage. People (including our parents), have their own fears and regrets. If you’re talking to someone who has never made a change like this, you may find that their own fears limit their thinking and hence their advice to you. Be wary of this when talking to others. Surround yourself with supportive people and be okay with some people simply not understanding.
Get comfortable with the uncomfortableness. Change is scary and feels uncomfortable. BUT if we don’t push ourselves through these feelings, we will stay in our comfort zones and will never grow. The more changes you make, the more you will feel comfortable with change itself. I still get scared when I’m about to do something new, but it is nothing in comparison to what I felt when I was about to quit my job. I always think “ this too shall pass”. If you wait to make a change until you are feeling comfortable, it will never happen.
Have a plan in place first. It might be really tempting to just quit and figure it out later. I urge you to think about the consequences of proceeding this way. If you’ve thought it through and you’re okay with it, then great. You may find though that it makes more sense to put a practical plan together first and tough it out in the meantime. You will likely go into your new venture feeling less stressed and more organized.
On that note, take some time to figure out what it is you really want. Sometimes people get stuck thinking about what they don’t want and they stay in that place of misery. In order to be happy, you need to think about what that looks like for You. It may be helpful to make a list of everything you don’t like about your current situation first and then write down the opposite (what you do want).
Set weekly goals to help you keep on track. Focus and action will help you move forward in the direction of where you want to go.
Above all else, believe in yourself. Believe you will find the right career for you that will make you happy. Know that you deserve to be happy 🙂 It’s up to you to create your own happiness. Take control of your life today!