You’ve finally realised you’re ready for a change and yet you are frozen in place, deer in the headlights. “What do I do now?”
Get in the present moment
Firstly, let’s breathe – properly. Don’t breathe into your chest and let your shoulders rise, breathe deep into your diaphragm (aka your belly) and feel it expand as you breathe in and shrink as you exhale. Ideally aim to breathe in for a count of 4 in, hold for 4, exhale for 6, hold for 2 and repeat – take it easy and do what feels comfortable for you! Try to aim for a longer exhale than inhale. Do that six times, and then let’s begin.
Feeling calmer yet? Science shows that breathing slowly and deliberately like this (about six breaths a minute) can reduce blood pressure, improve oxygen saturation and reduce anxiety. If you don’t believe me, just do a quick Google search. Who says a minute can’t change anything?
Taking first steps of change
Change is scary because what is on the “other side” is unknown, however hard it is, try not to get absorbed in the “what if?” Instead, think back to a time you overcame some obstacle in your life. Make a list of what you did at that time and outline behaviours and actions that helped. Return to this list anytime you feel overwhelmed and stuck. We are often our biggest critics which is a limiting behaviour. Be conscious of when you are holding yourself back through fear and instead pivot towards positive behaviours including seeking critical feedback and applying logic.
2020 has been a year of immense change for millions of people around the world. Even if you are one of the lucky ones that has a stable career and home life, you can still consider pivoting towards the life you really want. Many people have had forced pivots this year, both on the career front and at home, but it doesn’t always have to be a forced pivot. You can start slowly by carving out time for a “side hustle”. Instead of saying “I don’t have time for….” Reframe that to “I didn’t make xxx a priority” and see how that sits with you. If you’re left feeling uncomfortable with where you allocate your time, it’s time to make a change!
Where your attention goes, energy flows
Passion and purpose will help you find your new direction, but you still need to act. Success starts with 1% inspiration, but it comes to fruition with 99% perspiration. Start small, let creativity flow and be honest with yourself.
5 questions to help you Pivot towards the life you want
- What are my 3 top values?
- What do I want to spend my time doing and why? Can I carve out 15 minutes a day to focus on one of these activities?
- What do I NOT want to spend my time doing and why?
- What are the trends taking place right now and how can I utilize my experience and capability to satisfy demand. What will people pay me for?
- What do I need to let go of in order to go in this new direction?
These are the first few steps that will take you into your new dream life where you have work that fulfils and sustains you. It starts with awareness and understanding who you are as a person and what internally drives you. It’s time to re-define what success means to you instead of letting others tell you what you want. Be open to change, don’t rush back to “normal” and allow transformation to take place.
There are those who have ventured into similar situations before us. Reaching out for help and working with someone you connect with to build consistent micro-steps is an intelligent way to leverage others’ experience to assist you in navigating your transition.
If you would like to explore your own next steps, get in touch with Pivot Point to see if I’m the right fit in helping you along your new direction.
“This is impossible” said Alice.
The Mad Hatter “Only if you believe it is”.
