10 Things to Consider Before Making The Big Shift

So, most of us have been there. . . Feeling stuck in our jobs, our lives… Feeling like we’re running on autopilot more often than not. Then, Covid hit. Yes. . . Covid shook things up in a big way. Everything shut down. We were stuck at home. Many people worked remotely. Many were without work and collecting unemployment.

While the world shut down and businesses were sleeping, many of us woke up. We had time off work. We had more time to spend with family. . . Time to reflect, re-energize, re-prioritize. We realized that things really weren’t okay the way they’d always been. . . Anymore.

Now Covid fears are subsiding, immunizations are being widely distributed. and people are being asked to return to their offices. Many are having second thoughts. Things have changed. Things will never be the same. . . Again.

It’s being called different names and referenced by multiple hashtags. Whether it’s #TheBigShift #YOLO #TheGreatResignation, it all boils down to one thing. . . We want to be more connected. . . More connected to our families, ourselves, our communities. We want to thrive and maintain alignment with our natures. We want flexibility and freedom.

We want to reconnect or stay connected with friends and family. Live more sustainable and naturally. The reality of it is. . . We’d been living out of touch for decades.

Years ago, I noticed that our society and communities seemed to be more about keeping us separate and focused on our own little lives rather than connecting with our neighbors, loved ones, and the world in general. But, Covid was a global event and it forced us to realize that we’ve been living out of sync with our true natures.

Working in an office for eight hours a day five days a week leaves me feeling drained by the end of the day.

When you get home from work, do you feel energized? Are you ready to cook a meal? Spend quality time with your screaming children who are begging for attention since they’ve been at day care or school all day?

Personally, I’ve worked many 9 to 5 jobs and I don’t last very long in them, 2 years max, before I’m ready for a change. I call them the soul sucking jobs. . . Because, they suck the life right out of me. . I find I don’t spend quality time with family or myself. It feels like I’m just living to work. I’m constantly drained and have little energy left to do the things that are most important to me.

I was born a creative spirit… I want to live free to create, learn, and grow. For people like me, there’s nothing worse than feeling like our creative ability is being raped, pillaged, and plundered on a daily basis.

But, companies right now are hiring writers like crazy! There are thousands of writing jobs. They’re looking for content writers, copywriters, bloggers, and many more. The catch is. . . Most of those jobs are full-time. That’s right, they want you to be at their beck and call and create create create.

Pamela Wilson nails this scenario right on the head in her article on Copyblogger where she references Denise Duffield-Thomas who compares creative works to “The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs.”

A farmer is slowly growing wealthy because he has a goose that lays golden eggs. Only, one day he gets impatient and wants all the gold at once. So, he guts the goose to get to the gold, only to have a gutted goose.

Denise Duffield-Thomas in her book Chillpreneur compares the goose to creatives. And our works to the golden eggs. I just love this analogy because it resonates deeply with my own experience.

Many people like myself can’t simply create on demand. That’s why I choose my projects and clients carefully. . . Because at the end of the day, I want to feel proud of the work I do. I want to feel like I’m actually contributing to something bigger than myself. I don’t want my creative spirit to be gutted.

If you feel like your creativity and spirit have been gutted by your full-time on demand J-O-B. And, you’re in a spot where you want to live free and still make a good income, here’s my advice to you. . .

1. Find your passion and follow it.

• It doesn’t matter if you love writing, painting, photography, music, technology, mathematics, dance, or philosophy – there’s a way to make money doing it. Do some soul searching and figure out what it is that you love and want to do.

• You can start a YouTube Channel or blog about it. You can find companies who are willing to pay you well for contract work if you offer value and insights that their 9 to 5ers don’t.

• In today’s connected world the possibilities are literally endless. There are so many ways to get ahead doing what you love without sacrificing your soul.

2. Don’t sell yourself short

• Once you realize that you have skills and abilities that are highly sought after, find a way to monetize.

• When you realize your own value and can show that value to the company you work for or prospective clients, you have an advantage.

3. If you’re changing jobs, make sure you’re going to a better place than where you’re at.

• Investigate the company first. Talk to other employees and find out how happy they are at their jobs.

• You could even ask the hiring manager on a scale of 0 to 10. . . How happy are your employees?

• If you’re miserable at your current position, do research. Make sure you’re going to a better employer not an equivalent or worse.

4. If you decide to freelance, make a plan. . . Set goals!

• Write down the steps you need to take to achieve those goals.

• Make short term and long term goals.

• Make sure to celebrate small and big wins.

5. If you plan to freelance, write out a simple business plan.

• Making a business plan may seem like a silly idea. But a good plan helps you regain focus if you lose your way.

• Here’s a link to a free business plan template.

6. The sky is the limit. . . Go for it!

• Tenacity is a skill in itself. Keep after it. You’re only limited by what you believe your limitations are.

7. If you’re making a cold jump. . . always have a backup plan.

• It never hurts to say to yourself. . . If this happens, then I’ll do this in addition or instead.

• I’ve found throughout my life and through reading the works of others that when you’re in alignment with yourself and following your bliss, doorways open. It all works out.

• Chances are you won’t have to fall back on your backup plan. But, it’s a good idea to have one just in case.

8. Set boundaries for yourself.

• This should go without saying. But, if you don’t set your boundaries, it’s easy to fall into the trap of over extending yourself.

• If you want to have enough energy to enjoy time with family or going on adventures, make sure you define your work boundaries and only take on what you can reasonably accomplish and still make deadlines.

• Take into account how much time and energy you need to still do the things that are important to you. Whatever those things are.

9. Value yourself and your work.

• I’ve been in jobs or positions where my employer didn’t value me or my work and it makes for a miserable working experience.

• I’ve found that if you value yourself and your skills, that others are less likely to walk all over you.

10. Above all else, be true to yourself.

• After all, no one can tell you what makes you happy. You can only do that for yourself.

Whatever you’re doing, whether you’re choosing to stay in your current position or making a jump into something or somewhere new, I wish you the best! Always remember that you’re only limited by yourself. If you truly believe something is possible, make a plan and go for it! The doorways will open for you.

Namaste, Mindy

#TheBigShift #YOLO #TheGreatResignation