Many of the people I coach complain of not being able to know the right direction to go in, not being able to make the right decision. That sticky stuck feeling, and the accompanying frustration, all lead to hours sitting before a list of ideas trying to discover the one and only right way forward. It is especially frustrating if you are trying to make a right decision that encompasses making everyone else happy with it too.
Here's the rub - there is no right decision. No one decision is the ‘right' one, it is just a decision. You need to decide which one fits you best.
If you are waiting for the divine inspiration to decide which way is the best way forward then it could be a long wait. So what's the alternative?
Try your ideas on.
We are complex human beings; we have many different aspects of ourselves. The times when we are sitting there trying to think of the right way forward, we are only using a very small percentage of our senses. If we get stuck in thinking our way through we will come up with rational reasons both for and against our idea. This is what our minds are for. That wonderful capacity of rational thought is really essential but - and it is a big but - it is not the only collector and assessor of information.
We all have an inbuilt emotional guidance system which, when listened to, will give us a huge amount of feedback about an idea. To put it simply, as you contemplate an idea, if it gives you a feeling, a visceral good feeling - be it excitement, joy, enthusiasm or you simply jump out of your skin - then you are getting a pretty strong guidance that it's a good way forward. If however you get that sinking feeling in your gut - nervousness, a heavy, pushing the water up the hill feeling - then that too is a clear indication to think again.
Think about it - our language even mirrors this - our intuition is not called our gut reaction for nothing.
Now I am not saying don't use your mind, that would be silly, but do use all the aspects of yourself to get the biggest picture you can.
So how do you do this? This is where the trying on comes in.
If you have a few different ideas of what you might like to do if you were to change career, you need to move them out of the realm of ideas (out of the mind) and into your inner guidance (getting an idea of how they feel). Choose a few ideas and start to flesh them out. If it is moving into a new industry get all the information you can about that new area. What's involved, who are the kind of people that are in that sector, what training might you need?
Maybe shadow someone already doing the job to get an idea of what the day-to-day work looks like. There is nothing like getting a reality check and seeing if the idea fits the reality.
If you are interested in branching out on your own, the same applies. What would it take to set up, what kind of hours would you need to put in to get it started, what would your working week look like and how does that fit in with your life?
Again see if you can speak with people already doing it - try someone outside your catchment area if you are worried about upsetting the competition.
See this as if you were going into a big department store to shop for an overcoat with all the choices available. You wouldn't just go and buy the coat you thought would look the best. You'd try on all the ones that grabbed your attention. You'd feel how they fitted, how comfortable they were, whether they felt they were of a quality that would last. You'd see how you felt wearing them.
This feeling feedback is essential whether you're buying a coat or moving into a new career. Only once you have been through the trying on process can you truly make a decision - the decision that in that moment feels right for you.
Happy shopping - my don't you look good in that coat!
Jessica offers a free introductory session to discuss how she can help you create the move 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 +34 958 639 593. For more information visit www.jessicamcgregorjohnson.com
She works internationally as a Life Coach, enabling people to follow their dream and gain fulfillment in every area of life. She has worked with many career shifters and particularly enjoys using her own life experience, including her time in the corporate world, to support those making whatever move they choose.
