Do you have another one of those days? You know; The kind where you didn’t want to get out of bed because it meant going to the office. You knew that once you got there, all you were going to do was look out the window or look at the clock hoping your work day was finally over.
You find yourself wondering, “What happened?” After all, he worked hard to reach his current level of success. You used to be so happy and proud of your achievements. But something is different now because you don’t love your career anymore. And you don’t know what to do about it.
I know how you feel; I’ve been there. Since I was twelve I wanted to be a lawyer. My whole life was planned around me going to law school and practicing law. I graduated, passed the bar exam, became a trial attorney and then a chief judge. I love all; I was living my dream.
But then, like you, I began to have feelings of unease and dissatisfaction with my career and my life. Work had become a place to go and get out as quickly as possible. Is this how you feel? You know you need to do something. But how do you get away from the “career of your dreams” that is fast becoming your private nightmare?
As someone who has been where you are now, I have some tips that will change your life. First, give yourself permission to evolve. You have the right to change your mind about how you are going to find joy and satisfaction in your work. You are the one who can decide if it is time for a new dream. Who said you can only live one dream in life? Becoming a lawyer and judge was just one of mine. I have many others, and to fulfill them I had to give up my full-time legal profession and judges. Sometimes you have to say no to something in order to say yes to something else.
Next, remember that your current title or job description is not who you are, it is what you do. Your identity is not found in what other people may call you. It comes from a place within: your core genius. No job can do that for you. For a time I was in a hurry to be called Attorney Averils or Judge Joyce. It was okay if people thought of me like that. But finally, the moment came when that was not right because I am much more. I want to be known as a coach and speaker who lives out her core genius every day by motivating women to take action to change anything in their lives that devalues them. That is who I am and you are most likely more than an attorney, counselor, in-house attorney, or judge. You owe it to yourself and the rest of us to tell us.
Also, don’t let the “success traps” trap you in a sad and unsatisfying career. It is natural not to want to disappoint family and friends or to hesitate to give up a large and consistent salary. But when you choose to get away from where you are today, know that you will be successful again. The joy of walking away is that you can create a new definition of success. The important question here is: “What does success look and feel like?” In my personal journey, I learned that living my passion and fulfilling my life mission on a daily basis is a success. And I will take a life of joy and satisfaction instead of hearing “Everybody gets up”, any day.
Copyright © Joyce M. Averils. All rights reserved
