Before I started my coaching and brand strategy business, I had what was my dream job for a very long time, directing marketing at a global travel company and inspiring teenagers to get outside their comfort zones and explore the world.
But after almost five years of feeling excited and fulfilled about the work I was doing, I started to wonder if my job (and career trajectory) were still right for me.
I’d find myself sitting on the subway or standing in the shower mentally going through all the reasons why I shouldn’t leave––I had a great manager and team, the ability to work remotely and travel to exciting places like the Fiji Islands and Mongolia. I was good at what I did. I could work remotely when I traveled for dance events. That was more than a lot of people could say about their professional lives…wasn’t it?
This went on for months until one day I realized that the primary reason I was so fixated on trying to convince myself (and anyone else that would listen) that I should stay, was because I was scared of not knowing what would happen if I left.
- What if I didn’t enjoy working with my new manager as much as I liked my current one?
- What if I didn’t have the same kind of freedom to work remotely?
- What if I was more miserable in a new job than I was right now?
If all those “what ifs” came true, then I would be this huge failure who made a big mistake and threw away this one opportunity I got in life to have a pretty good job and make a pretty good salary and I’d spend the rest of my life regretting my choice. 🤯 🙈 ⚒️ 😨 🙅♀️
Of course, when I write it out like that it sounds more than a little ridiculous. Clearly, those things weren’t true then and they aren’t true now. But that deeply-seated fear kept me in a state of indecision for almost a year, even though that entire time I knew deep inside my soul that my job and career path were no longer serving me and it was time to make a change.
I’m sharing this story with you today because in many ways, the world is quieter these days. And when we have fewer distractions, fewer obligations and activities and people to keep us occupied, the real things we’ve been avoiding and shoving under the covers have a way of popping up.
If you’re spending more time these days thinking about your career path,
If you’re trying to convince yourself to stay in a job (or apartment, city, a relationship, etc.),
If you’re no longer excited about what your future looks like,
Or if you just don’t care quite as much as you used to,
Take a few minutes to dig into those feelings.
Journal. Sit in silence. Record yourself talking about it on camera. Go for a run. Dance around in your living room. All of these practices can help you more deeply connect with yourself and start to pull away the ideas that are holding you back.
I’ve found that whenever I do this, the right decision always reveals itself to me.
with love,
Brielle
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