“Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility ~Sigmund Freud

Ah, the relativity of it all! The power of fear! Better safe than sorry. Right? How many of us wish to take that big move in our lives but we don’t because what if it doesn’t work out? What if it doesn’t work out? We’d like to change jobs, but we don’t. Well, ask yourself how unhappy you are in the career you have now…the job you have now? On a scale of 1-10, when you complain about your job, where does it sit? Do you just like saying how it bothers you? If you do, then that’s fine…there are moments in every day that things aren’t going to go well, or maybe you just like to complain? That’s another issue. If it’s bringing you down to feel like everything sits on the “darkside”, then maybe that complaining isn’t working, maybe it’s become a habit you need to break? If your job is in the middle of 1-10 and you can or wish to bear it, then that’s your decision. If you’re at a job that’s sucking your chi…your energy and vibrance-and the years are going by, and you stay there because you feel it’s your only choice, you might want to ask if that’s really the case or it’s your fear that’s keeping you from finding a job that makes you actually feel good about yourself?

Do you feel you’re lacking skills to get another job? What are those skills? You can get them. Do you feel you don’t have the time or energy to look? Why don’t you? What time do you give to other things in your life that you might be able to borrow a bit from, to give to this important endeavor in your life? What are these things from which you’ll be borrowing? How much TV are you watching, shopping are you doing, driving, or boating (we all have hobbies) are you doing? How much time are you spending on the internet that you could be giving towards either looking for a job, or finding someone to help you find a job or improving your skills to get a job? You could be cleaning up or organizing the environment in which you would start looking to find a job? Making a place for yourself-“your job looking space”? How about taking an hour a day to just think about what it is that you want to do if you weren’t doing the job you’re doing, instead of complaining about it? These are a few starter thoughts. What do you feel when you think of them?

Giving yourself the time to go through this exploratory process will help you realize many things about yourself. You may find that you actually like your job more than you thought. You may find that what it gives, is more than it takes. What you perceived as a 10 on the scale may be more like a two on most days…you can probably stand a two. Can you? If instead you clearly see your job as absolutely horrible, then this too has been worthwhile. You surely don’t want to be toiling away in the proverbial coal mine the rest of your life. You need to find what you’re made to being doing.

If you’ve realized that your job is not what you want, but don’t know if you’re able to unglue yourself yet, not because of fear, but because of other commitments. You might have someone who is ill that counts on you, or family that counts on your income, this is still not lost time. Yes, you have to prioritize, but you can still grow yourself educationally; there are classes offered for relatively little money. You can take them a little at a time. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”. Also, if you’re out with your family, talk about what it is that you want to do…make connections. The more connections you make the more opportunities there will be. Have patience, don’t be afraid of criticism, not everyone will be interested or helpful, but there will be those that are upbeat, positive and giving. Knowing what you want your DREAM job to be, is the most important part of the equation. If you'd like to learn more, check out my 7 FREE Empowering Tools to Find Your Dream Career www.lifecoaching-matters.com

Author's Bio: 

Heidi Gottlieb is an associate certified Transformational Career Coach. She was a marketing and television commercial production executive for over 20 years, she's a writer and a speaker. She’s passionate about helping others reclaim their empowered self and discover their dream careers. You can visit her at Life Coaching Matters where you can find her 7 FREE Empowering Tools to Find Your Dream Career and also read her blog. She lives in New York with her husband, her two kids, and her multiple furry friends enjoying long distance walks and various dark chocolate confections...although not all at the same time.