I’ve found myself feeling ‘stuck’ lately as I’m working to expand my business. It can be very frustrating to see the vision but be slow on taking the action on which is the exact direction to go. I know that I’m not alone as I work with those who are in a career transitional phase and come in for help to get out of their ‘stuckness.’
In looking to understand why, it comes down to thoughts and beliefs which have been embedded in our brain; often, these thoughts have been there for a long time which we don’t often realize. They are the result of an early experience we’ve had that imprinted in our brain; they become a belief as we think about them over as we try to understand them. Beliefs are individual and not necessarily true, although some will live and die by their beliefs even with proof.
Some common beliefs I’ve heard that are career-related include:
- this job is too hard
- I’ll never achieve what I want to do
- I have to stay in this miserable job in order to have money
- my boss (or coworker) hates me
- I am a failure or I’m not as good as my peers
- I’ll never get promoted or recognized for the good work I do
I could go on and on in this list. The sad news is that your beliefs can keep you stuck and forever. The great news is that you can let these thoughts go – all it takes is you to make the choice to do so. Here are a couple ways to do so:
- Write about it – the art of journaling is a great way to release all negative feelings and gain a new perspective on a situation as it acts like the ‘third eye’ for what you might not understand about your situation. All those thoughts get jumbled in your brain and your focus goes on the most memorable so taking them out and putting them on paper releases the replay button and helps you to really ‘see the situation while coming up with workable solutions.
- Challenge your thoughts and beliefs – we never know anything with any certainty, especially our own thoughts and beliefs so when we challenge them, they can either lose their power or strengthen; a great exercise is called The Work (Byron Katie) which asks the questions: a. Is this true? b. Do you know this to be absolutely true (can never answer yes)? c. What do you feel when you believe this thought? d. What would you be like if you didn’t have that thought? Answering these can be life-changing as you begin to realize your thoughts have no power over you; once you understand this you can now refocus on more positive ones and create new beliefs that will move you forward.
- Visualize your best career and life – our visual field is our most powerful so take advantage of this tool and ‘see’ what you want to do if you could create this life if time or money were no consideration. Whatever you visualize you can do if you make the decision to go after it and you take massive action.
Don’t allow your long-held thoughts and beliefs to hold you back from having the career you’ve always envisioned. Following these steps is a start to releasing them and turning your career around. They also can validate if you’re in the right career or doing the right steps to get there. These are steps I’m using so I encourage you to join me on this journey. If you want some help, don’t hesitate to contact me for help at http://www.cyscoaching.com
How many of the thoughts do you identify with? What has it cost you? Would love to hear your thoughts!
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