As a career counsellor I work with movement and change. I work with the life-long relationship we have with work and career; that often means helping clients to re-evaluate and re-define this relationship, to explore the meaning work currently holds for them, to see how their skills, expertise, and perspectives have evolved, and to imagine what they might develop further.
While movement and change are natural in life, our jobs/roles even our careers do not always move in tandem with our personal experience of movement and change.
We can in fact outgrow our work roles
I frequently hear some the following comments from clients: “I am stuck”, “I no longer care about the work I do”, “I no longer feel connected to my work, to my career”, “I want work that better reflects my skills, my strengths, and who I am at this stage”, “I want work that values what I have to offer at this stage of my life”, “I want to experience different work roles”, “I want to contribute to the world in a different way”.
While these statements are expressions of how an individual client is currently feeling, these statements also call attention to the movement in their lives and the changing relationship they are experiencing with work.
These statements also express personal motivation, another expression of movement and potential change. We want careers and work roles that expand with us, that are more aligned with our current stage in life, our experiences, our developing skills and expertise, and our evolving perspectives.
It is healthy to re-assess, re-define, even re-create, our career lives. Taking the time to acknowledge the reality of movement and change and its impact on our relationship with work and career allows us to experience a deeper connection with what we do, to be more intentional in our choices or any changes we may have to make, to be able to monitor and reflect on our motivation and our engagement at various stages.
How can we be more aware of the movement and change in our lives?
- We monitor our energy, our engagement, and our interest in the specific work we are doing.
- We practice self-awareness and mindfulness, being more fully present in our daily work lives and the tasks at hand.
- We reflect on our experiences of work, our experiences in life, and we draw knowledge from them.
- We regularly review our definitions of fulfillment and meaningful work.
- We reflect on what we value. Are these values “lived,” are they active and visible in “how” we work, and the work we have chosen to do?
- We regularly re-evaluate our skills – both natural and learned. We take time to reflect on our accumulated experiences and the unique “expertise” we are developing.
- We take note of what we want to learn or what further skills we may want to develop and what opportunities are available to us.
- We regularly assess our goals. We change or modify goals that are no longer relevant to us.
- We pay attention to our experiences of stress, of burnout. We prioritize our health and well-being and integrate personally appropriate ways to ensure we are taking care of ourselves nutritionally, physically, emotionally, cognitively, and relationally.
- We review the boundaries in our lives, particularly those between work and the rest of our lives.
For Reflection:
How have your specific work, skills, and expertise, your perspectives and attitudes towards career, “moved” and/or “changed” over time? How have these changes, or movements, impacted the way you work, your relationship with work, and career?
Career Counselling can help at any stage of your career life. For more information or to book a consultation with Canvas Career Counselling please contact [email protected]
