A Gallup poll found that more than two-thirds of U.S. workers aren’t engaged in their work and are simply putting in their time. It’s an unfortunate fact that many people in our society dread the work week and feel uninspired by the occupations.
This unhappy majority of workers have resigned themselves to careers that for them lack purpose. Either they feel that they need the job and so have to keep it, or they’ve bought into the idea that work, by it’s nature, just isn’t fun — buying into the old saying: “That’s why they call it ‘work.’”
Some people choose their careers carefully. But more often, people pursue careers as if they don’t have a choice. They settle for whatever comes along. They may think they can’t do any better, or fear that if they don’t accept what’s offered, they may not have any other offers.
But if a lackluster job just doesn’t sit well with you, if you’re in search of a career compatible with your authentic self, Mindfulness is a way to help you find the right match. Mindfulness is a practice of quieting your mind and being aware of the present moment. It brings authenticity to your awareness and gives you insight into what rings true for you. Through Mindfulness, you know when your career doesn’t feel right, and that you needn’t doubt what you’re feeling.
Mindfulness can help you during a career change because it makes you fully aware of what you want to do professionally, and it keeps you from settling for a position that’s not a good match.
Use these Mindful check-ins to help you in choosing a compatible career:
1. Evaluate your feeling in the moment.
Bring present moment awareness into your decision. This means that you evaluate how you feel the moment the offer has been made. Do you feel that you’re settling for second best, or that by receiving the job offer you won the lottery? Trust the feeling.
2. Examine your physical reaction.
Be aware of any bodily sensations you might be feeling, like fear or anxiety, when considering making a career choice. If you’re experiencing any negative physical symptoms, which you can know through Mindfulness, you’re better off declining the offer.
3. Gauge if it’s the right timing.
Even if you may have once thought this was a direction that you wanted to pursue, it’s okay to ask yourself if this career opportunity serves your well being right now.
4. Ascertain fit with personalities.
Notice how you feel about the person with whom you’ll be working. Do you perceive the person as intimidating, pressuring, or pushy? Or is this someone you feel that you can trust to show you respect and support?
5. Realize whether you’re looking at the position as temporary.
you see yourself being in the career that’s offered to you for a long period of time, or is this a stopgap position until you find something better?
6. Determine whether your motivation is fear-based.
Slow down and look inward as you ask yourself if you’re making a career choice out of a fear of the future. Do you trust that your decision is a wise choice both for the present, and also will be down the road?
7. Confirm that it’s in harmony with your true self.
Ask yourself whether this career step will help you to be your most authentic self. Does it call to who you truly are today? Will this position make you happy, or will you have to talk yourself into going to work each day?
8. Verify your potential to shine.
Through Mindfulness, recognize whether this career choice will give you an opportunity to bring the best of yourself forward. Is it compatible with your authentic self, and will it allow you to utilize your inherent talents and capabilities?
When it comes to making one of the most important decisions of your life — choosing a career — Mindfulness will help you to make your decision fully aware of how you feel in your entire being. If you have even the slightest indication that something doesn’t feel 100 percent right, take the time to ask yourself any of the questions above. When you choose your career mindfully, greatness will result.