You are not lost

You are just at the beginning of the process.

I've experienced career transitions out of necessity—where I needed to make money to afford a roof and food—and transitions that meant upgrading my role with more responsibilities and pay.

The transitions driven by urgency, where I needed a job to survive, were especially challenging. I realized that wasn't the path I wanted to continue on and decided to find more meaning in my work.

This led me to switch from over ten years in IT consulting to a fast-growing Fintech company, followed by experiencing downsizing. I also doubled down on entrepreneurial endeavors I'd been putting off for some time.

I was using other commitments as an excuse to avoid living my best life.

What I have learned is that in both situations, change starts when we consistently invest in ourselves every day.

At first, it may feel like you're going nowhere. You feel lost, directionless, and tied to past decisions driven by ego or fear.

If you have a job, it might delay your actions. You constantly think about change but don’t know where to start. The job you have is unfulfilling, but pays the bills, yet, you feel you are not living your potential.

This is all too familiar to me. What I can tell you is that it's common, and you are just at the beginning of the process. Be kind to yourself.

Becoming aware of this is the first step. The next step is understanding. Grab a pen and paper every day and start journaling what you feel and why you feel it.

Take time for yourself every day. You might call it "coffee with yourself."

Do it consistently and start building:

• Reflection: Think and talk with yourself. Be kind.
• Writing: Put it down on paper. It will help you understand.
• Expression: Pick something you enjoy and create.
• Sharing: Talk to others and show what you build. This will move you forward in the direction you seek.

But most importantly, you have to take time for yourself. I know, many things are happening that you need to prioritize… but why aren’t you on that list?

Fire yourself for 30 minutes each day.

Don’t negotiate with yourself. If needed, get an accountability partner to ensure you work on becoming the best version of yourself.

From the excuses you might be giving yourself, do you identify something that is commonly stealing time and preventing you from taking this period?

One thing I have experienced and found very effective is setting boundaries. Limit the time spent on things that prevent you from living your best life.

Don’t wait until tomorrow. Live today.