When external forces—whether political shifts, economic downturns, or industry disruptions—shake the very foundation of a career, it’s normal to feel powerless and lost. You may question your path, your value, the decisions you’ve made, and your future. Many thousands of professionals experience these same moments of uncertainty, whether in early, mid, or late career stages. While external circumstances may be beyond our control, research and practical experience show that we can shape our mindset, responses, and deliberate actions to create breakthrough outcomes, even in very turbulent times.
Below are 7 key strategies that provide a framework to regain clarity, strengthen your resilience, and generate new, exciting momentum during periods of career upheaval.
1. Acknowledge and Process Your Emotions
Career upheaval is emotionally taxing and often deeply fear-inducing. Feeling fear, frustration, regret and grief when the work you’ve invested in is threatened is a natural human response and something thousands of people share.
Rather than suppressing these emotions and trying to pretend you’re not feeling them, we benefit from acknowledging and processing them. Techniques like journaling – to get clearer on what you’re truly thinking and feeling – and engaging in candid, open discussions with trusted peers, seeking new mentorship, and tapping into professional support networks can help you navigate these emotions more productively and effectively than on your own.
Self-compassion is critical at these times as well, and remembering that struggling does not equate to failure. In fact, research indicates that resilience involves not just “bouncing back” from adversity, but adapting and thriving through flexible thought and behavior. Recognizing your emotions and allowing yourself to experience them fully is foundational to navigating upheaval effectively.
2. Reframe the Challenge as Opportunity
Reframing adversity—which is choosing to see our challenges as potentially useful (and often necessary) opportunities for growth—has been shown to significantly strengthen resilience and mental well-being. Research confirms that positive reframing boosts adaptability, helping us cope more effectively with setbacks. When we view difficulties as potential gateways to growth, and keep exploring what that growth can look like in the months and years ahead – and feel in our bodies the excitement of what is possible – we expand our capacity to handle challenge and ultimately support stronger mental health.
Beyond the psychological benefits, reframing allows us to interpret situations in ways that are true and realistic yet also more empowering compared with other, more negative interpretations (such as “I failed this in such a big way and it’s utterly hopeless now.”)
By shifting your perspective toward expansion, hope, and possibility, you can open doors to new pathways you might never have considered but are actually better suited to who you are and what you care about most at this time in your life. This shift not only enhances personal growth but can also lead to greater success, impact, and reward in your career and professional life in the long run.
Practical reframing exercises include asking:
- What can this situation show me about the true value and potential new application of my skills and capabilities?
- What new opportunities could emerge from this challenge that I haven’t previously considered?
- Which professional avenues might I have overlooked before that might be a great fit?
- What new folks can I reach out to or connect with who could help me expand my vision and see more possibilities now?
By shifting focus from loss to potential, you can often identify paths forward that you would not have considered or recognized otherwise.
3. Reconnect with Core Values and Vision
Periods of uncertainty provide an opportunity to pause and reflect on what truly matters to you. Career alignment research and my own work with thousands of professionals have revealed that people who connect their work with personal values experience higher engagement, satisfaction, and long-term success
Reflection prompts might include:
- What is most important to me at this stage in my career?
- What kind of legacy or impact do I want to create going forward?
- How can I ensure my next steps not only set me on a growth path but also align with my values, purpose and vision for the future?
Intentional alignment helps ensure that your actions are guided by core principles rather than purely reactive, fear-based responses. This clarity not only enhances decision-making but also strengthens your motivation and engagement in navigating key transitions.
4. Expand Your “Inspiration Network”
In tough times, reaching out to great, supportive and compassionate mentors, colleagues, and professionals in your own field and adjacent ones brings fresh energy and insight. It’s not about transactional or opportunistic networking—it’s about tapping into community, mutually-beneficial support, and shared wisdom.
As an example of the power of connection, studies in organizational behavior show how psychological connection and safety in supportive environments significantly enhance employee engagement and innovation—often by more than 3× when combined with resilience and adaptability.
5. Invest in Your Growth
Amid chaos or rapidly shifting situations, investing in your growth is a powerful endeavor. Whether you take a new course, hire a coach to support you, listen to inspiring podcasts for new information, or sharpen your toolbox in other new ways, every step forward reinforces your experience of agency and optimism.
Even small moves—such as updating your LinkedIn profile or taking an affordable certification course you’ve been interested in—can propel your momentum forward, introduce you to new people and ideas, and remind you of all that you’ve learned, achieved and are capable of creating going forward.
6. Focus on What You Can Control
During times of upheaval, energy is often wasted on factors beyond our influence. Focusing on controllable elements is a powerful way to reduce stress and enhance effectiveness.
Key areas of control include:
Mindset: Practices such as gratitude exercises, affirmations, meditation, or grounding routines can cultivate focus, hope, and emotional stability.
Actions: Even small proactive steps can signal progress and prevent stagnation.
Environment: Curating daily habits, limiting exposure to stressful news, and creating energy-aligned routines can support your resilience and mental clarity. As an example, behavioral research reveals that intentionally shaping your day—even with steps such as delaying morning phone scrolling until you’re fully alert—can significantly reduce stress and improve clarity
Self-Recognition and Clarification: Understanding yourself more fully and deeply, and recognizing the valuable, unique talents and skills you possess – as well as the fascinating experiences you’ve had that have shaped you – will help you build a compelling narrative and strengthen your ability to stand out and connect with great people and opportunities that will move you forward. (Take my free Career Path Self-Assessment survey to help with gaining that helpful clarity.)
7. Embrace Flexibility and Stay Open to New Possibilities
Careers—and lives—rarely follow a straight line. Resisting and breaking ourselves against change simply delays our progress and growth. When old paths close, new ones open: including from corporate roles to entrepreneurship, private to public sectors, to consulting, coaching or teaching, and more. These pivots often lead to more career fulfillment and success than ever anticipated.
Interestingly, research into early-career setbacks shows that those who endure near misses (such as researchers narrowly missing getting a needed grant) often outperform in the long term those who had early successes —suggesting failure can indeed lead to success and setbacks can catalyze resilience and higher achievement for those who persist and stay committed to their ultimate goals.
Moving Forward with Resilience and Confidence
Navigating career uncertainty or sudden, unexpected change isn’t easy—it can be disorienting and challenging emotionally. I’ve been there numerous times in my life and can attest to how difficult it can feel. But with the right mindset and approach, and with empathic support in your corner that can offer insight – and also the push you need and want to keep moving forward with hope – it’s not insurmountable.
By acknowledging and processing your feelings, reframing the way you approach the challenges you’re facing, reconnecting with your core values and tapping into (and expanding) your support community—and taking purposeful action all along the way—you can boost your resilience and become better equipped to transform disruption into a launchpad for rewarding growth that you’ll be grateful for in the future.
Kathy Caprino is a global career and leadership growth coach, LinkedIn Top Voice, 2x author, speaker and host of the podcast Finding Brave, supporting professional breakthrough to greater success, impact and reward in your career and life.
For hands-on career, leadership growth and personal development support, work with Kathy in her top-rated 6-session Career & Leadership Breakthrough coaching program, and join her new upcoming The Most Powerful You training course and monthly group coaching program starting in mid-October. Sign up for the waitlist right now to be notified of open enrollment dates, pricing and more. To book a complimentary Career Consult, click here.
