Even though the NY Eve confetti has long been swept up…..2023 is still feeling “fresh” and full of possibility. And what’s exciting, is more and more people are doing the “inner work,” raising their consciousness, prioritizing growth, and shifting their mindset, ultimately realizing:
“I am worthy of so much more!”
Change is a BIG theme for many of us. And “happiness” is quickly climbing the priority list.
We’re quitting our jobs. We’re leaving relationships. And overall…..we’re no longer settling.
Because we know that abundance is ours to claim. And if it’s “heavy and hard,” it’s not for us.
But if you’re contemplating “jumping ship” (in one way, or another), it’s important to reflect, and ask yourself ONE question, first:
Am I running from this, or running to something else? – because there’s a big difference.
And if it turns out that you’re running from something, like…..
👉 A job that makes you want to rip your hair out
👉 A marriage that leaves you feeling empty and unloved
👉 A mountain of debt that just keeps growing
👉 An extra 30 lbs that just won’t melt away
….you may be missing an important lesson, deep in the “muck.” In fact, you may just find that you end up circling BACK around to repeat the same old patterns that got you into this whole “mess,” in the first place.
Is now the right time?
When you’re wondering if “now is the right time” to make a change…..one of the BEST (and most annoying) pieces of advice you can receive is: “you will know, when you know.”
And trust me. I heard it plenty of times when I was considering leaving my Corporate job, in order to become a Sustained Success Coach.
I was in High Tech for 24 years. And on paper, everything looked great! – I was a thought leader, I got to travel the world, and I had a ton of autonomy.
But I felt called to do “something else.”
And after 3 years of watching a coaching certification program pop up, that included 100 practicum hours, and 4 international events….I shoved aside all the “ya right, Carri’s” and clicked YES (paid in full). Because I knew in my gut…if I didn’t do this now, I was never going to do it.
But after I took the first step, I kept asking my coaches: “when is the right time to leave my Corporate job?”
And they would tell me, over and over again: “you will know when you know.”
Major eye rolls.
Until I was asked the question: “Are you running FROM your Corporate job, or running TO your coaching career?”
And the answer was….I was running FROM my Corporate job.
Why running from something never ends well
As humans, it’s our natural and neurological tendency to focus on what we don’t like/have, because it helps us survive and thrive.
But what we’re “lacking” is only a small PART of the story. And when it comes down to it, we really do have a choice to think differently.
When I was given the space to make a decision about my Corporate job, based on what I was learning about myself (and what I wanted), I was so thankful that I didn’t just “rip the bandaid off.”
Because if you’re running from something, you’ll very likely circle back around to where you came from….no matter how “far away” you think you’re running.
Everything is here to transform us. Every experience is happening FOR us. Including, and especially the hard stuff.
It’s not a test.
It’s not a punishment.
It’s here FOR us.
And it’s encouraging us to grow through it. By facing it…..head on – this is “the work!”
While working in Corporate, I had some unhealthy habits I needed to move through, so that I didn’t repeat them in my new business – and one of them was saying “YES” to everything.
I was almost constantly on the verge of burnout. And if I didn’t learn how to say NO to things in my Corporate job, I may have very well created the same chaos in my coaching business.
There are gifts in the discomfort. And if we truly want to create our “best lives,” we need to climb into the mouth of our demons.
Why running to something will help you expand
OK, does that mean you should “stay put” forever?
No.
But divine discontent rarely requires dramatic, immediate action. It’s like a seed that, when watered with thoughtful reflection and small daily action, can grow into something beautiful.
And it needs to come from a place of “running to.” And to do that, we learn to be present and begin.
Because then (and only then) will you be in alignment with your dreams – and there is so much freedom in that.
If you want to move forward into expansion, you’ve gotta pay attention to what you do want.
Because then (and only then) can you find clarity, create a “vision” and set concrete intentions.
How to find clarity and start taking action
If you’re ready to stop running away from what “isn’t working”….and start taking action towards what you DESIRE, you first need to build awareness around your perspective.
First off, ask yourself the question:
Am I running from this, or running to something else?
And do some honest reflecting. Really think about WHY you are making this change.
Maybe you’ll notice that the majority of the reasons WHY you want this change is because you don’t want X, Y or Z.
On the other hand, you may discover that you want to make a change because it will allow you to be/do/have X, Y, Z.
Next? Ask yourself The Four Cartesian Questions:
- What would happen if you did X?
- What would happen if you didn’t do X?
- What won’t happen if you did X?
- What won’t happen if you didn’t do X?
This will start to give you a full picture of all the stories you have around “change.” And very likely, it will unearth some things about the change itself.
Lastly, take some time to envision how you want to feel in your dream life. Start envisioning what you want to move towards, and let that be your North Star.
Want some help navigating this journey? I’d love to help! Check this out….
In this year-long journey, we take small daily actions, in order to create incremental shifts over time. Learn to slow down, and tune into the dreams that have been sewn into your heart.