Recently a member of the Careershifters Club wrote that getting to know yourself may be challenging, but it is a key part of getting on the right road for a career change.
How right he is. However getting to know yourself can take time and often when we are wanting to make a change we want the change to happen – now!
I have noticed, especially at this time, that there are two groups of people dealing with career change. Those who feel that they have to do it quickly to feel safe again and those that are able to see this time as an opportunity to really get to know themselves and create change from this new insight. And what is interesting is that as you go through this process you begin to live life more fully rather than stay stuck in the survival mode.
So what does getting to know yourself mean? Well firstly our career is not the only aspect of ourselves that we need to take into consideration when contemplating change. There are many areas of our lives that are impacted by any change, especially career change as we spend so much time each day working. When I start to work with any careershifter we look at every sector of life. Career is obviously one, but then we add, home environment, financial situation, fun and social life, relationships, family, contribution to the world, personal growth and health.
If you take the time to ask yourself what you would like in each of these areas of your life then you have a much better picture of what is important to you. Put these answers together with your values and you have a kind of blueprint that you can refer to when you get a career idea. Does it tick these boxes? If I did go down that road would my relationship still be good? How does this choice impact on my family or social life?
Not only that but as you answer the question of what you would like in all these areas you may find that there is something in another area other than career that you could do straight away. This has a double positive – you get to feel good because you see change happening already, and as a consequence you are living life more fully engaged.
There is also another aspect of getting to know yourself, in that as you explore the different parts of your life you build up a picture of what kind of situations and environments nurture you. Where do you flourish, what kind of experiences do you need to feel good. Interestingly in the end it boils down to what makes you feel good.
Our culture does not ask us these personal questions when we are young, it is all about going out and looking at what is out there and trying to make it fit us. By asking what you’d like, you look in the opposite direction – inside. You find out what truly makes you happy and build up a picture, bit by bit, of what elements you need in your life, as well as your career, to feel good.
Another thing to remember is that as we grow older the things that are important to us will change. So even if a career or lifestyle once fitted us like a glove don’t be surprised if it doesn’t feel so good now. We change, as do our values and interests, and so it is important to ask yourself these questions even if you do feel you asked them a few years ago. The fact that you are looking for a new career is indicative that something no longer fits; you are working from an old model. By focusing in on the current model – you - you are much more likely to identify the elements of your next step.
And for those of you in the middle of this process and still not feeling like you’ve landed on ’it’ – keep going as it is often when the very last element becomes clear that all the rest slots into place.
Jessica works internationally as a Life Fulfilment Coach empowering people to create the life they choose and gain fulfilment in every area of life. She offers a free introductory session to discuss how she can help you create the shift you want and feel excited about your life again. If you would like to arrange a time for her to call you please email her at jessica@jessicamcgregorjohnson.com or call +44 (0) 203 239 6155. For more information visit www.jessicamcgregorjohnson.com
