• Do you feel unsettled or unsatisfied at your current job?

• Are you starting over in a new career field?

• Are you unsure of what your interests or skills are?

• Do you fear taking the steps to pursue what you really want?

The Problem

There are so many perspectives for what work is “supposed to” be — Do you pursue what you’re passionate about? Or what you’re told you “should” do? What helps pay the bills? What gives my life meaning & fulfillment?

These ideals are influenced by:

• Generational norms

• Social trends

• Cultural, religious beliefs

• Family values

• Individual interests

Oftentimes, these values can be in conflict with one another.

Work comprises half (or more) of our waking hours. There are sucky parts to any job; however, chronic dissatisfaction or being a part of a “toxic” or taxing work environment can negatively affect your wellbeing in other areas of life (e.g., sleep, social interactions, hobbies). Additionally, with the rise of social media, it is easier to compare and feel inadequate or lagging behind from our peers.

Career concerns arise when [1] you don’t know what you want, [2] you don’t feel permission to explore what you want, and [3] you don’t know the pathway to gain experience to perform the role you want.

The Path Forward

What do you want from life? How do you want to live day-to-day? What is “success” to you? What is it not?

These are some of the questions we explore in counseling. We are all influenced by those various voices and value systems. There is no “wrong” answer. However, it takes intentional reflection to discern how you uniquely decide to rank these values. Your top values shape the “North Star” of your compass. I incorporate interactive exercises, assessments, and verbal processing to help you identify your core values.

Next, we explore the limiting factors that hold you back from pursuing your values. Is it time? Self-doubt? Other practical concerns? We can wrestle through these and discern how to navigate them.

Finally, we explore what skills or experience you may need to pursue your ideal career or lifestyle. Whether fears of trying something new or overthinking, you can learn new coping patterns to help calm your nerves and have enough confidence to trust yourself and step out into the unknown.

Finding the ideal career may be a long-term project or may pivot over time. That’s part of the adventure. Regardless of the journey you take, you have permission to explore and try out (and even fail). What is most important is that you are ultimately in control of the path you take.