Career slumps
If you feel like you're in a career slump, and are considering leaving a shitty job in 2024, you're definitely not alone. Do you see how many career coaches there are out there these days?
When I trained to become a career + work counsellor over 2 decades ago, I was one of the few. Sure, there were teachers in schools who served as guidance counsellors, there were some community funded programs where someone would help you with a resume or run a workshop but there weren't nearly the number of resources there are now. There is a lot of information available now and a lot of folks claiming to be experts in the field. Awesome!
It's not difficult to go down a career development rabbit hole though--taking all of the online tests and doing all the research and begin left with information overload.
This is why I think sometimes the biggest gift you can give yourself is a moment of quiet.
Research is awesome. I love it.
Information is important. We need it.
But there’s something about curiosity and self reflection, and processing.
There are periods of time when I commit to just shutting the fuck up. I turn everything off and sit in my own thought soup.
There’s magic in poking at your thoughts and beliefs once in a while. Even just sitting quietly with them.
We all know by now we’ve absorbed and been shaped and conditioned by the world around us. It might be good to regularly check in about that.
To connect how we’re showing up and behaving, reacting and responding to that. To reflect, consider, and reconsider what we’re buying into and what is actually serving us. What we want to believe on purpose not only by accident or association.
Changing your mind, going against the grain, questioning, and being curious. Super. Powers.
What if your intention this year was something like a commitment to changing your mind or sitting in your own thought soup or getting clear on what you wanted to make important?
I don’t know. I just feel strongly it’s time to really mix things up.
Sometimes when we're looking for happiness, what we really need is pleasure.
But it takes effort and man, we’re tired.
So rest up a little and then maybe even force this at first if you have to.
You might even be thinking happiness and pleasure are the same thing.
But often we think of happiness as this blurry, vague thing that we hope to achieve once we’ve gotten the degree or partner or family or dream job or bigger muscles or a smaller arse.
But happiness doesn’t just show up because we’ve checked all the boxes most of the time.
Hey, it might. Who am I to say?
Your experience is unique to you. But if happiness seems to remain elusive even after you’ve checked the boxes, I’m not really surprised.
Maybe instead of seeking ways to be happy, look for ways to experience pleasure.
It can take some thought, intention, and a little planning.
In life maybe it involves sunsets or sleeping in, or walks in the woods. Maybe it’s trying something new or catching up with someone who brings out the best in you.
At work it might start with managing, minimizing, or eliminating things that aren’t working. Yes, even things like your commute, shitty pay, terrible boss, or depressing environment. Maybe it’s even simpler like not engaging with the company drama. Maybe it’s using your company paid massage benefits. Maybe it’s letting yourself daydream about other work possibilities and allowing yourself to believe an unhappy situation is temporary.
Sometimes I’ll ask folks the last time they experienced pleasure and they have a little trouble remembering.
I get it. Life can be a lot. But as they say, you really do only get one. There’s no pressure (well, maybe a little). But could you maybe make a point to always have one thing on your calendar to look forward to?
Could you start with some small pleasures? Could ya?
Cause maybe, just maybe, that’s where happiness lives.
The best part about leaving a shitty job for a better one isn't the new job.
Oh, it will change you. ✅
In big and small ways.
It’s trading in only looking at where you are and thinking you’re stuck with looking back at how far you’ve come.
It’s realizing that yes, maybe you’d still rather just win the lottery…but you took control of what you could.
It’s acknowledging that you made decisions based on what mattered to you, to what you believed to be important. To what felt congruent and in integrity with the person you are and want to be.
Not based on the bare minimum you mistakenly thought was all you were entitled to at work.
That you fought —even a little to take some control over the quality of your work life. That you didn’t give up on what you wanted and needed.
If it’s more money, decide that. If it’s less shitty coworkers, decide that. If it’s getting behind something you believe in, choose that. If it’s going out on your own, decide that. If it’s just wanting or needing a change, let that be a great reason.
Maybe it’s deciding what you’ll leave behind.
Feeling uncomfortable in your skin. A controlling boss. Bureaucracy. Unfair treatment.
Fear of returning to something unfinished or unfulfilled.
Pain, stress
Carrying on day in and day out with the sense there’s a stone in your shoe that you can’t shake loose.
It’s not your job’s job to make you happy but having one that ticks your boxes can make it easier for you to do yours.
Don’t give up on the belief that there’s something really good out there for you. Because there is!
Did you know that I’ve spent the past 23 years devoted to helping established professionals manage the challenges of working life?
My approach helps to boost confidence, reduce self-doubt, and clarify direction, so decisions feel easier and more seems possible.
I offer 1:1 coaching to professionals looking for longer term support as they navigate career or retirement transitions. Reach out to learn more.
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