It took me 3 years (at least) to ‘make a decision’ about my career

 

It all started when a coach provocatively asked me,

 

But Mandy, what do you want? What do you want for your career?

 

We were supposed to be doing some work on my presentation skills, but we had ended up talking about some prerequisites that had been put in place for me taking a permanent job.  I had been doing the job for 4 years in a temp role.

 

I remember getting so angry and thinking

What is he talking about?

I have no control over this.  

I’m being told what the package looks like.

I’m getting what I wanted ‘made permanent’.

I would finally have some stability

BUT

I still remember thinking why am I questioning this decision?

I signed the papers and that was that. Well for the moment…

 

That Niggly Feeling 

 

I had this niggly feeling when I signed the papers, and it didn’t go away.  In fact, it slowly got stronger & stronger.

 

The niggly feeling ranged from uncomfortableness, anxiety, unhappiness, depressed, doubtful, and not being able to make decisions on anything.

 

I kept thinking I have been ‘pushing for this’ I wanted this – didn’t I?  If I did want this, why did I feel like this?

 

Learning about myself 

 

About a year later I signed up to this coaching course where I looked into my ‘superhero strengths.’

 

Then I did my Myers Briggs.

 

I was learning more & more about myself.

 

Reading self-development books.

 

The niggly feeling was still there but it had subsided, a bit.

 

Don’t get me wrong I loved parts of my job and had some amazing experiences, beyond amazing but I kept coming back to:

 

• I want my own business.

 

• I want to specialise in helping women.

 

• I want to be able to plan out my own day.

 

• I want to be location independent.

 

 

Redundancy opportunities 

 

 

I was living in London at this point, but I had decided to move back to New Zealand.  About a week before I handed in my resignation, I got told by my boss that I was going to be given my warning of redundancy.  Part of my redundancy would be training costs so to start thinking about what I wanted to do.

 

After all the work I had done on self-development, I knew I wanted to explore coaching more.  I did some research and found a course.  I thought it will either be a great skill to have or it could eventually be a business.

 

It ticked all my boxes from above: business, helping women, plan out my own day, and I can be location independent and it has ended up giving me so much more than that.

 

My niggly feeling related to my career this time but I have also had that niggly feeling in other parts of my life: relationships, and where I was living.

 

 

What about you? 

 

 

Do you have a niggly feeling?

 

A feeling that something isn’t quite right?

 

Are you ignoring it?

 

Or

 

Are you listening & wanting to make changes? explore that niggly feeling further?

 

Is the thought of being in this same position or feeling this way, this time next year, unthinkable?

 

Don’t leave it as long as I did.  That niggly feeling was trying to tell me something wasn’t right.  Are you listening?

 

Start exploring today.