How did that happen? One minute you were holding the cutest bundle in the world, now you’re preparing to wave them off to school in September. While you might have a tear in your eye seeing them go, you know it’s an exciting time for your child – they’re beginning a new adventure and will have new things to learn and different challenges to try. But what about you? If you put your career on hold to bring up your children and now the youngest is ready for school, what does the next stage of your life hold?
When you’ve been out of the workplace for a long time it can be difficult to know which direction you want to go in. Do you want to return to a similar job? Do you want to use your skills and expertise to work for yourself? Or do you have a hankering to start your own business doing something completely, crazily different?
Here are a few tips to get your brain thinking…
Get out some pros and cons
Write out some headings such as ‘Launching my own business’ and ‘Returning to my old job’ then under each one make a list of pros and cons. Write down any words that spring to mind – ‘exciting’, ‘scary’, ‘safe’, ‘no experience’, ‘flexibility’, ‘freedom’ etc.
Go with your gut
You might be surprised to find that the idea that has the most cons is actually the one you’re drawn to! If you’re looking at a long list of negatives but your mind is screaming ‘But I want to do it!’ you know you could be on to something!
Turn the cons into pros
Just as your child is going out into the world and exploring new possibilities, seize the chance to learn and grow yourself. Think you don’t have the skills to take the next step? Turn your mindset into a positive thought: ‘How exciting! I’m going to learn something new.’ Feeling scared? Tell yourself: ‘Imagine how good I’m going to feel about myself when I do this!’
Get doodling
Why should your kids have all the fun colouring, painting and doodling? Grab a big sheet of plain paper and get creative. If earning more money in your job is a big incentive, you might find yourself painting huge pound signs. Perhaps you’ll end up doodling hearts – which could be a sign you want to do something to stimulate your passion (unless you had a crush on your ex boss!). Be playful and let your mind work its magic.
I hope these tips have been useful. If you need more help figuring out where you want to go next or could do with some help with confidence and clarity as you take your first steps, please get in touch with me at katie@thecatalystforlife.com
Coaching can help not only by allowing you to see more options available to you and overcoming challenges that may be in your way, but by getting you to where you want to be a lot more quickly and easily than going it alone, so if you’re ready to invest in yourself…let me be the Catalyst to your success!
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