Hello, I’m Kavita Ahuja, the founder of It’s My Time now Coaching.
Today, I want to address three common emotions that many of us face when going through career transitions: Confusion, Self-doubt, and a Lack of Confidence. If you’re experiencing these emotions, know that you’re not alone. In this article, I’ll share strategies to help you overcome these challenges and embark on a successful career transition!
OVERCOMING CONFUSION
Rediscovering Yourself
Confusion often arises during career transitions when we question our path moving forward. To combat this, begin by rediscovering who you are at this moment.
Ask yourself:
- What are my strengths or superpowers?
- What are my top three talents that make me successful?
- What successes have I achieved, no matter how small?
Don’t forget to celebrate your achievements! Sometimes, we don’t take the time to acknowledge our successes, let alone celebrate them.
Additionally, seek input from three people who know you well to gain insights into your strengths and talents. What do they come to you for advice on? What do they think are your superpowers, and do their answers align with yours?
Finally, ask yourself – am I using my talents to the best of my ability? How can I use my talents or superpowers in a different way that will make me more energized?
When you ask these questions of yourself, you will see you begin to uncover things about yourself that you never even imagined.
Uncovering Your Passions
What really makes your heart sing? Passions can often be disconnected from our daily work. To bridge this gap:
- Imagine a world without limitations. What five things would you do?
- Identify tasks that immerse you to the point where you lose track of time.
- Design your ideal job. Who would you serve, and why?
A fun exercise is to look back at your memorabilia – old photos, letters, yearbooks, etc. of when you were a child of, let’s say – 8 years old – remind yourself who you used to be. What sort of kid were you? What excited you? What did you want to be when you grew up? Can you bring that same passion into what you are doing now?
When we allow ourselves the time to think about what we are really passionate about – we open up our minds and hearts to possibilities that we never thought existed before.
Reevaluating Your Values
Our values change over time, impacting our career choices. To align your work with your values:
- Consider what you prioritize now compared to a decade ago.
- Reflect on the impact you want to make in the world.
- Choose your top five values.
By realigning your work with your values, you can reduce confusion during your career transition.
Discovering Your Ikigai
Ikigai is the Japanese concept of a Reason For Being, and originated in one of the Blue Zones in Okinawa, Japan. Finding your Ikigai can provide clarity as you are facing a career transition.
It can be found at the intersection of 1) Your Strengths 2) Your Passions 3) What the world needs (think of your Values), and 4) What you can be paid for.
By uncovering your Ikigai in a step by step process, you will gain clarity on the direction you would like to take in your career and life moving forward.
OVERCOMING SELF-DOUBT:
Self-doubt arises when we are in the process of transitioning in our lives – these include feelings of not being good enough, or that you are not capable of taking the leap forward.
These feelings are NORMAL, and may take the form of an Inner Critic or Gremlin who tells us, “I’m not qualified enough, not smart enough, not experienced enough, not worthy enough…etc.” Do any of these sound familiar?
So how do we begin to release these feelings of self doubt?
Conquer Your Inner Critic or Gremlin!
- Acknowledge its presence.
- Understand why it’s here. Recognize that this is not YOU, but a part of you that you can externalize
- Give it a name and visualize it.
- Thank it for its protection but assert your self-confidence.
Recognize that our inner critic shows up when we are about to embark on something new. It tries to protect us and to keep us in our comfort zones when we are transitioning, and the result is, it causes us to not take action, limits us. and keeps us playing small.
By doing these exercises, your Gremlin or Inner Critic will visit you less and less. You will be able to move out of your comfort zone to a zone of creativity and forward momentum.
BOOSTING YOUR CONFIDENCE:
Why is it important to be confident? Confidence helps us take our first steps, helps us avoid procrastination, and helps us move from our comfort to our growth zones.
It allows us to shift from a limited mindset to a growth mindset.
What are some ways we can build our confidence? Through small actions everyday, we can slowly build our confidence to take the next steps.
Monitoring Your Language
The words you use matter. Eliminate undermining words such as “just,” “actually,” and “sorry.” Communicate with authority and confidence in your language to build self-assurance.
Taking Action
Avoid perfectionism and seeking endless qualifications. Trust your abilities and your own judgment. Don’t hesitate to share your story authentically, or to negotiate your worth.
Managing Your Thoughts
Negative thoughts about the future can erode confidence. We think about the future consequences of our actions – what will people think? Will I fail if I do this?
The key is to remain in present moment awareness. You can’t control the future and there is no sense in regretting the mistakes of the past. Try to control your present thoughts to the positive, and you will see how your confidence will soar!
Navigating career transitions is challenging, but by addressing confusion, self-doubt, and a lack of confidence, you can make the process smoother.
When we take the time to ask ourselves important questions, and be open to the answers, we can learn so much about ourselves, and this forms the foundation of true transformation!
If you found this information valuable and would like to dive deeper into these tools and processes, let’s have a conversation!
I invite you to book a free, no-obligation call with me here. Let’s get started on your journey of transformation today!
You can visit my website for more information. Remember – If not now, when?
Finally, learn more about my upcoming Group Coaching Program here.
