Do This Before You Decide To Make A Career Change
Transitioning out of one industry and into another can bring exciting changes – and challenges – with it. But, if you're feeling unfulfilled, it may be best to take a step back and do some evaluating before you dive into the job hunt. While you might believe that journaling is only for personal reflection, think again. A simple writing exercise can help you get more clear on what your heart is really calling for – if you're brave enough to listen (via The Muse.)
Sit down with a paper and pen and write a list of how you want your job to make you feel – nothing is off-limits here, so shoot for the stars. Think of words like excited, supported, and involved. Underneath that, start thinking about what you don't want to do anymore. The same rules apply, nothing is off-limits. Do you want to sleep in later? Is more flexibility what you're after? Do you only want to work on things you care about? Write it all down.
From here, make a list of the things that you're good at but that you don't like doing. Are you good at solving math problems but you're tired of them draining your energy? Maybe working with customers is your specialty but it doesn't feel right anymore. Let your thoughts flow from pen to paper.
Journaling about your career and goals is incredibly powerful
If you have resistance around sitting down and writing things down the old fashioned way, start with the commitment to not judge yourself. Whatever you write down is okay. By listing out beliefs that you no longer want to carry with you and ideas of what you want your new life to look like, you can begin to pinpoint where your thoughts are hampering that process.
Dr. Mark Atkinson, an integrative medicine expert, explained with The Muse, "One simple, practical, and cost-free way to process your emotions, gain insight, and clear your head is through journaling. It is particularly good for liberating yourself from self-limiting beliefs and thoughts, healing emotional pain, finding new meaning and purpose, and supporting spiritual growth."
The more you journal, even if it's only for the big questions you're pondering, the more you can tune into what you actually need. When you write more frequently while you're considering switching careers, the more you can see where the path you're on is taking you and where you want to go (via Thrive Global). By seeing your skills and desires laid out in front of you, your next steps will become more clear as you more easily express what you truly want.