Welcome to Episode 3 of Work You Love!
Today’s question comes from Kristie, who asks:
What if you realize you’ve made all the wrong decisions in all aspects of your life and now find yourself deep in a hole and can’t climb out because you’ve lost all hope, passion, talents, joy, confidence and years but still have responsibilities needing your attention and other people you have to please? What if you’re the kind of person who has to have a fool proof, step-by-step plan to get back on track so no more time slips away?
What an important (and rich) question!
Here’s my take on what to do if you’re feeling hopeless:
I hope this video post gives you a start in terms of new ideas to help you access more hope, energy and vitality so you can bring about the changes you desire.
When you’re feeling hopeless, the key to breakthrough is to find a way to reconnect to what brings you joy and vitality, and to be encouraged to remember all that you have to offer the world and your community, even if right now you’re struggling to be of service in the way you want to. All is not lost or wasted – you will be able to connect the dots and figure it out. But first, you have to restore yourself.
For two helpful resources, check out my book Breakdown, Breakthrough: The Professional Woman’s Guide To Claiming a Life of Passion, Power and Purpose, and the great book When Things Fall Apart, by Pema Chödrön, the world-renowned ordained Buddhist nun, author and teacher of Tibetan Buddhism. I find great comfort, solace and wisdom in her work.
Find someone who believes in you wholeheartedly who can see the future vision of you “before it’s hatched,” and ask them for help. We can’t solve these problems on the level they were created. Now’s the time to reach out for support from a friend, mentor, spiritual adviser, or coaching buddy to help you remember how important, valuable, and needed you are in the world!
And today’s most important tip: Start pleasing yourself!
Thank you for watching Work You Love, and wishing you many happy breakthroughs!
(If you have a burning career question you’d like me to answer, SUBMIT IT HERE! I’ll do my best to address it in some form in the weeks to come.)
Well done Kathy. I really needed that advice. I have been in the Education Technology Industry for many years but I got hit hard this recession. I’m trying to branch out into the food industry but don’t know much about it or people in it. I sometimes feel lost and alone and have wasted precious years. I struggle every day to stay on task and plan and hope I’m doing the right thing to land a good job with a good company.
Thanks for your help and for listening,
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Thank You,
Mike LaBate
215-353-2987-mobile
mickey1295812@gmail.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mikelabate
Thanks for candid sharing, Mike. It’s important to remember that you’re not alone – so many have been hit hard by the recession and been forced (or encouraged) to reinvent. There are concrete steps (5 steps, to be exact) that are vital to take when you’re launching yourself into a new arena, but most importantly, it’s critical to do something each and every day that helps you stay energized, hopeful and engaged in your plan. Stay the course! It will work out. All the best.
Great response, Kathy! Thank you for tackling the questions. I’ll put this on my list of things to listen to regularly. I made a career decision 3 years ago based on thoughtful evaluation which turned out to be the biggest mistake of my life. You spoke directly to this feeling and I appreciate the new perspective.
Thanks, Deborah. I appreciate your feedback. I’m sorry to hear that your career decision didn’t turn out as you hoped. I’ve been there, and know how challenging that is. But often, rather than throwing the baby out with the bathwater (as we want to because emotions are running high), we can repurpose our talents and skills and find a way to draw on them in a new direction that aligns well with who we are. It’s possible! I know because I did it, despite feeling extremely hopeless and lost after my 18 years in corporate came to an end. Thanks for joining me here.