"Do I leave? Do I stay? Do I go...?"

How’s work? I know you’ve been thinking a lot about your job lately. Wondering if you should quit/resign or push through like you always have. It’s a hard decision. You have bills, a family to take care of, and the economy is not that great. But on the other hand, you’re not happy with work and not as engaged as you used to be. You’d rather take some time to explore what’s next and what’s possible. I get it.

Think back to the last time you were excited about this job. What has shifted since then? Who or what is responsible for it? Give it some serious thought and add as much detail as possible. Is it the culture? The leadership? The politics? The lack of career development? Or perhaps it’s the fact that you’ve learned that you cannot be your authentic self at work. I understand. Given what you know and what you feel, what does better look like? Paint a picture in your mind, then write it down on paper. Be as imaginable as possible.

Find a quiet place and answer the following questions:

• What do you love about your job?
• What has kept you at your job this long?
• What changes might make you feel more inspired to stay? How comfortable do you feel about communicating this to your leadership?
• In what ways have you contributed to how you feel?
• Think back to when you first started this job. Are your needs and values the same or have they changed?
• If anything was possible, what would you want?

I hope these reflection questions give you the clarity you need. Whether you decide to quit your job or stay, make sure you explore every possible option and evaluate them against your core values and needs – this helps you make an informed decision.