One of the toughest Career Change Challenges is remaining true to oneself. This involves a deep understanding of one’s values, beliefs, and identity.
Here are some actions and thought processes that can help us stay true to ourselves, whether we are thinking specifically of career change challenges or are simply wanting to enjoy life more:
Helpful Actions
Self-reflection
Take time to understand your thoughts, emotions, and desires. Reflect on your experiences and how they shape your beliefs and values.
There are certain times of year that seem to encourage introspection, especially Autumn and Winter with the culmination being just before New Year.
Put some dedicated time aside to consider what is going well and what you would like to improve. Don’t worry about the mechanics of how you would change things, just acknowledge that they need to change. Sometimes by asking yourself how you feel about yourself in different areas of your life it makes it easier to see what type of change is needed.
Authenticity
Embrace your uniqueness and avoid pretending to be someone you’re not. Be genuine in your interactions with others.
This is huge. We have become so used to emulating other people (quite possibly for all the right reasons) that it is difficult to see ourselves clearly.
Intuition will play a huge part in helping you here because your conscious choices will feel natural to you, and you may need to break some habits. You won’t necessarily be aware of what needs to change initially. I would suggest that meditation, visualisation and journaling are all good techniques to help you get a sense of who you really are/want to be.
Setting boundaries
Establish clear boundaries to protect your values and priorities. Learn to say no when necessary and prioritize your well-being.
Everyone around you will assume that you are happy as you are and will therefore expect you to continue behaving in exactly the same way.
It is important to be clear in your own mind how you want to adapt to new routines and stick to your guns. It is just as difficult for others to settle into a new you as it is for you to develop new habits.
Self-acceptance
Accept your strengths and weaknesses. Embrace your imperfections and focus on personal growth rather than seeking perfection.
We are only ever truly in the flow of our lives when we accept ourselves.
I have said it again and again but will repeat it here too! The things you love doing are the things you are best at. When you do the things you are good at you will be more effective and engaged in your career.
So, identify what you love doing and use those transferable skills to consider whatever your next move might be.
Honesty
Be honest with yourself and others. Avoid hiding your true feelings and thoughts, as honesty fosters genuine connections and self-awareness.
This is quite difficult for many of us because admitting something may not be right means we can no longer ignore it.
However, living a pretence is tiring and soul destroying, so find ways to help yourself acknowledge the truth. Remember, if you plan your change over a manageable period of time it will not seem so unattainable.
Mindfulness
Practice mindfulness to stay present and aware of your thoughts and actions. This helps you align your behaviour with your values and prevents you from being influenced by external pressures.
Practice listening to your inner dialogue and noticing how you feel about different areas of your life. Your internal voice doesn’t lie but it can easily be drowned out by your conscious mind.
As soon as you notice thoughts and feelings that seem unhelpful do some work on changing your mindset so your subconscious and conscious mind are in accord.
Courage
Have the courage to stand up for what you believe in, even if it means going against popular opinion. Face your fears and take risks that align with your authentic self.
Change is a challenge, so it is important to set goals that create enthusiasm and compel you to step outside of your comfort zone. This will build your determination and give you the courage to take action.
Surround yourself with supportive people
Build relationships with people who respect and appreciate you for who you are. Surrounding yourself with supportive individuals can reinforce your sense of identity and self-worth.
Make sure you find your tribe for the duration of the change. Sometimes this is not those closest to you because they might find your change difficult as well. Your loved ones will have their own agendas which can hinder your choices to start with.
For example, someone who is risk averse may well feel you are making a mistake by initiating change (in a completely genuine way) and therefore be negative about your decision.
By planning out your change clearly and logically, you can often identify ways those close to you can help. This may well make them more accepting and supportive.
Continuous self-improvement
Strive for personal growth and development. Continuously challenge yourself to learn new things and expand your horizons, which can lead to a deeper understanding of yourself.
The more you learn the less daunting everything is. If you don’t know how to do something, or whether you can – find a course or someone to learn from.
Make a practice of identifying every time you make an assumption about something and challenge yourself. Ask- ‘how do I know this is the case’?. If you don’t know – go and check it out.
By learning all you can, the steps forward will become firmer and your career vision much more realistic.
Gratitude
Practice gratitude for the person you are and the experiences that shape you. Appreciating yourself and your journey can strengthen your connection to your authentic self.
In Conclusion
By incorporating these actions and thought processes into your life, you can foster a stronger sense of self-awareness and authenticity, allowing you to stay true to yourself in various aspects of life. This will undoubtedly help you overcome any Career Change Challenges and build a brilliant future.
If you have any questions or would like a quick chat please feel free to contact me.