Gretchen Rubin wrote The Happiness Project. I’m surprised by how much I like it but she writes honestly and with great insight. One of her comments about happiness relates to “feeling right”. In unpacking the idea, it essentially means feeling like you are leading the life that is right for you. In other words, you could have a generally good day at your job – maybe you got a good review – but still not quite feel right even though you felt happy in the moment. Rubin had been an attorney – as I was – and she left the law to pursue being a writer because she never felt quite right as an attorney (even though she was extraordinarily accomplished, Yale Law, Supreme Court clerk).
Do you feel right about your career? If no, then you should engage in exploratory work to figure out what would make you feel right. Here, I want to be clear: I more than fully understand financial obligations (sole provider of a family of 5 for years) and I always lead my discussions by saying that “I have no interest in creating starving artists.” If I have a distinct gift as a career counselor, it is figuring out how to turn a career aspiration into something practical (that can pay the bills).
If you need help making your career feel right and do so in a practical way, contact me.